Avalanche
by FlamePumpkin32
Summary: It's Coralynn's 4th year at Hogwarts. Whether she likes it or not, change is in the air. Not only at Hogwarts, but inside herself. Cora must deal with these new changes while falling in love during the Triwizard Tournament. Things will never be the same.
1. The House and the Mirror

**A/N: Hello my dear readers. I'm back with a new story. Yay! This is Cora's fourth year. So if you haven't read about her second and third…you are in the wrong place. First, I want to thank everyone who still reviews/favorites/follows my old stories because it means a lot to me. Second, college is crazy and I have less time to write than I'd like (unless it's a paper due for a class) so this story won't be posted as fast as the others were. Thirdly, this chapter might be confusing or even suck. I wrote it on a whim and waaaay too fast. So, enjoy Cora's new story, Avalanche.**

_**Chapter 1: The House and the Mirror **_

A house on a haunted hill…that's what it looked like. Some of its windows had been boarded up, tiles were missing from the roof, and ivy spread over the sides like 5 o'clock shadow. This place was once an impressive looking manor, and not to mention, the largest and grandest dwelling for miles. This place was now damp, rundown, and unoccupied.

Many people agreed this place was creepy. Fifty years ago, something horrible happened there. Something the villagers only discussed to scare little children or when gossip was on short supply. The story had been told so many times, told in different ways that no one knew for sure what the truth about that place was. But, one thing was for sure, every version started in the same place.

Summer fifty years ago, before daybreak, when the house was still in its prime, a maid entered the drawing room to find all three residents dead. The news of the deaths shocked the villagers of Little Hangleton. But, no one pretended to be sad for the family. The Riddles were highly unpopular.

Summer of 1993, just after sunset, a young girl of fourteen stood in front of the rusty iron gates. She pushed passed them carefully and slowly trotted up the uneven path. Weeds had grown over the walkway and the once nice lawn was trampled and brown. The girl stumbled as she stepped up onto the rotting porch. A light breeze feathered her curly black hair and gave her the chills. Careful of where she stepped, the girl tapped on the paint-chipped banisters with a long wooden stick.

This 'stick' was the most important tool the teenager could ever possess. It was her wand. A magical tool used to help harness her magical powers. She was eleven years old when her wand chose her. She owned a perfect 11 inch wand made from an ash tree. This wand proved to be good with Transfiguration and the Dark Arts. The core of her wand was a dragon heartstring which was good for defensive spells and hexes. The wand that chose her also showed that she was protective and stood up for what she believed in. This was the perfect wand for Coralynn Maguire.

On this night, something drew the black haired, grey eyed girl to this particular house. She immediately knew this was not someplace she should be. It was filled with dark magic…a place where her father's relatives would most likely convene. Looking up, she noticed lights glimmering in the upper windows. Despite what her head was yelling at her, Cora was an adventurous type and she pushed open the front door noisily.

"Hello," she called loudly. Her voice danced around the once beautiful main hall, echoing off the walls. She scrunched her nose in disgust as her nostrils filled with smelly decay. She made sure to stay quiet, ears and eyes searching for any sound and movement.

"Is anyone there," Cora asked again. She walked quietly all over the house, searching for a sign someone was there. In the kitchen she noticed a pair of familiar round wire glasses perched on the elegant dinner table. She knew of only one person who wore those kind of glasses, her best friend Harry Potter. Soft footsteps made her spin around quickly. The dark haired boy with the lightning bolt scar stood in the doorway.

Cora's heart was beating fast. She brought her hand up to her chest to calm herself. "Oh, Harry, you scared me," she breathed. When Harry Potter did not answer, Cora frowned. Instead, the boy turned around, walking back the other way. "Harry?"

Cora left the glasses on the table and followed her friend. Harry disappeared up the stairs and Cora had no other choice but to go as well. She was a little thankful for the layer of dust on the stone because it muffled the sound of her feet. On the landing, Cora noticed there were many doors. Each one was closed, locked perhaps, with a small brass key in each keyhole. Alright, she thought, not locked. She could either unlock each door and see what lay inside, or find her way back down the stairs and leave. Coralynn Maguire was a curious girl.

The first thing that came to mind as she reached the first door was that Harry had just suddenly disappeared. She saw him, followed him up the stairs…and he was gone. Another thing that bothered her, how could so many rooms fit into such a small space? There must have been at least twenty doors on either side of the hall. Cora reached for the first brass key, slowly turning it the other way. The lock clicked and the door swung open.

She gasped, her hands instinctively clasped over her mouth to keep from screaming. On the floor closest to the door was a man with untidy dark hair and round glasses. Near an empty cradle was a woman with long red hair and beautiful, unseeing green eyes. Both were dead, their eyes wide open in terror. On the bed was a crying baby boy, a bloody scar etched into his forehead. Cora slammed the door shut, locked it, and slid down to her bottom.

Feet suddenly appeared in front of her and a wand poked her in the forehead. Harry was standing there, looking rather sad. He held his hand out for Cora to take. She shook her head, "No. I won't do it anymore, I promise. I've seen enough."

Cora was suddenly dragged up to her feet and roughly pushed to the next door. Before he disappeared again, Harry pointed to the end of the hall. Cora noticed the door was the only one open, albeit slightly open. A golden light shone through the gap, casting its rays on the last few doors. Cora knew what she had to do to reach the 'light at the end of the tunnel'.

Moving on was taking a toll on Cora mentally. Each door contained a person or people; about to be killed or dead. She saw a boy she knew from school. He had short, light brown hair and brown eyes, he was well-built, and had chiseled features. Cora's mouth opened in a silent scream as the door snapped shut on her in a green blaze. The boy was wearing clothes of yellow and black, the colors of Hufflepuff. The front of his shirt read: Diggory.

Against her will, Cora felt her feet move her across the hall to more rooms. She screamed and fought against the invisible force but she could not break free. It was as if she was under the Imperious Curse. So many doors and rooms….all filled with the dead. Cora was close to pulling her hair out; her face red from crying silent tears and her voice hoarse from silent screams.

Unfortunately for her, the last room was worse than torture, worse than death itself. Through the walls of the old Riddle house, Cora heard maniacal shrieks of laughter. She covered her ears, shaking her head. She chanted 'no' over and over again as the next door swung open. In the middle of the room was a large rock with a sort of see-through veil attached to it. More tears fell from her eyes as voices whispered to her. "Daddy…" Cora finally found her voice. "No….no! No! No! No!"

Cora fell to her knees, finally breaking the invisible bounds keeping her upright. Her head fell into her hands as she wept for the souls of the voices in her head. Looking back up again, the room had changed. This time, instead of the large rock, there was a large mirror. Not being able to help herself, Cora crawled to the golden framed mirror, staring at herself in pain. Suddenly, a face appeared behind her. Cora looked back, but no one was there. The woman next to her smiled. Cora closed her eyes, smiling too, and placed her hand on the glass. The woman's brown hair and sparkling eyes and love and passion gave away who she was. It was Olivia. It was Cora's mom. On her other side, a man appeared. He was darkly handsome; his black hair falling gracefully to his shoulders, grey eyes full of mischief, and his aristocratic features were pulled up in a silly grin. It was then Cora knew, these people she'd see in the mirror…they were dead.

Behind Olivia appeared a white figure soaring above until it swooped down to perch on her shoulder. Cora had seen this particular bird plenty of times to know whose it was. Her name was Hedwig and she was Harry Potter's owl. As Hedwig got comfortable on her new perch, a little creature pushed through her parents to get to the front. He was about waist high with big eyes, papery skin, and enormous ears. The sack he was wearing gave away his identity. Dobby the House Elf. More people Cora had known appeared in the background, all smiling, all happy. She was even surprised when she caught a glimpse of her Potions Master, Professor Severus Snape. He wasn't smiling like the rest but his eyes showed happiness.

Before she could protest, the people in the mirror slowly vanished. Tears of joy welled up in the girl's eyes as her parents held each other, waving as they too disappeared into nothing. Before she had a chance to walk away, three figures appeared in the mirror. The older man was fair-haired and big-bellied. He had a jolly smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. It was Ted Tonks. The other two were no doubt a couple as they appeared holding hands. The man was very pale with light brown hair and eyes. Three long scars cut across his face but he was handsome nevertheless. The woman was tall and pretty. She sported short, bubblegum pink hair and her eyes changed color every time Cora blinked. They were Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks.

The next person Cora saw was someone she had actually never met before. For a moment Cora though it was her father again. But it wasn't. This boy was smaller, slighter, and less handsome than her father. He had the same black hair Cora had, as did the rest of the Black family, and his aristocratic features were sharper than that of Sirius Black's. The boy was wearing Slytherin robes and twirling his wand between his fingers haughtily. He winked at Cora and then disappeared into mist just like the others.

Finally, one last person appeared in the mirror. The boy had a tender expression as he gazed at Cora through the glass. Through his Gryffindor robes, Cora could tell he was tall and thin. He swept a hand through his shaggy red hair and grinned at her. When he smiled something inside Cora's heart swelled. There were no tears, only happiness, as she looked into Fred Weasley's amber eyes. Fred was really something else. She didn't know what it was about him; his eyes, his hair, his body, his charming voice and that laugh…oh that laugh. It was everything about him that made Cora feel the way she did.

Fred's eyes lit up as Cora placed her hand back on the mirror. He placed his on the opposite side. Neither could feel the other's touch but there was a spark. It was sad to think that this mirror showed the dead. Fred Weasley was dead. He couldn't talk to her or make her laugh. He would never hold her, make her feel safe in his arms like she wanted. She desired for him to know how she felt. She wanted him to feel the same. But it would never be so; only a dream.

A warm hand on her shoulder told her that the mute Harry was back. As soon as she removed her hand from the glass, Fred was gone, the ghost of his smile etched in her mind. Cora turned around, asking Harry if she could go through the last door. Her best friend nodded and took her hand, leading Cora out of the now dark room and into the hallway. Together, they stood before the glowing room, staring at the doorknob. When Harry let go of Cora's hand she pushed open the door. There was nothing but golden light as Cora walked into the middle of the room. She closed her eyes, her head tilted back, and smiled. Warmth filled her body, surrounding her whole being.

The whispers she had fought to keep out of her mind came back. Instead of horrible cries of pain and suffering, they were happy and light. They called to her in laughter and dreaminess. Opening her eyes, Cora was almost afraid the light would render her blind. There was no need to be afraid anymore. She was safe from any harm here, she knew it. As Cora walked further into the warmth she could have sworn she heard a familiar Scottish voice say, 'welcome home, love'.


	2. The Morning After

**Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape:**** …she could possibly save one…or two…**

**Kurayami Angel:**** Yay a review every chapter lol. Even if it kinda sucks? I'm very particular about what I write. If I think it sucks I'll spend days trying to redo it and then after a week I get fed up and just post whatever I have.**

**Mrs. 11th:**** That's okay, it kinda made me cry too haha. And I wrote it.**

**Noel Ardnek:**** You know me so well :0) dead on as always.**

_**Chapter 2: The Morning After **_

"Cora…Cora get up…" I muttered a string of curses and pulled the fluffy covers over my head. Someone poked me in the side. "Coralynn you need to get up or you'll miss breakfast."

I swat at whoever was trying to wake me from my wonderful dream. I heard an exasperated sigh. I vaguely heard the person threaten to take 'extreme measures'. I just huffed and tried to fall back asleep. That's when the evil person ripped my pillow out from under my head. I groaned in protest, lifting my head up to see who dared disturb my slumber.

Ginny Weasley stood next to me with my pillow in her hand, giggling. I grumbled as I sat up, rubbing my eyes. I hadn't been at the Burrow for a week and Ginny was already waking me up in the worst fashion. As I swung my feet over the edge of the cot I yawned. Last night I stayed up late with Ron. We were in a heated Wizard's Chess tournament and I was determined to beat him. Dumb, I know. I lost every game by the time we went to sleep at two in the morning.

Ginny reminded me that breakfast was in ten, giving me time to wash up and get dressed. When my friend left her room I rummaged through my trunk, picking out random clothes. I slipped into a pair of cut-off jean shorts and a plain red tank, laced up my black chucks, and I was ready to go. Thankfully the bathroom on the second floor was free so I had no trouble washing up and making myself ready for the day. I found that, at the Burrow, if you had a bathroom to yourself it was a miracle indeed.

For breakfast, my godmother, Molly Weasley, laid out a myriad of delicious foods. A plate of sausage patties, eggs, bacon, toast with marmalade, porridge with cream, and cinnamon rolls. She out did herself every day and I loved her for it. I sat myself down next to Ginny and we waited for her older brothers to come down. My mouth salivated as I sipped my milk, trying to fight off the hunger. The Weasley family did not eat unless everyone was seated. The first down was Percy. He was still wearing his pajama pants and shirt, his hair was very messy, and his horn-rimmed glasses were askew. He said nothing as he took the seat next to Ginny. My friend and I shared a look. Ever since Perce got a job at the Ministry he had been acting like an ass.

Ron came down a few minutes later flanked by Fred and George. All three looked tired and were still in their pajamas. I chuckled. Leave it to the girls to be dressed first. I noticed Ginny look up, almost as if she wished Harry had been following Ron. I know I wished he was with us too. Harry had been allowed to write to us this summer. In his letters, Harry told me that, in fear of his powers, the Muggles locked his trunk up every night with all his work and such. And, apparently, they were afraid of his 'dangerous murderer of a god-father'. I didn't find it funny how he forgot to mention my dad's innocence to them.

He also was being forced to follow his cousin's diet. When I told Molly she went into a frenzy, baking and cooking all kinds of yummy fattening foods for Harry. She sent Errol and even Solo with packages of mince pies and a rather large fruitcake. Then on his birthday, Ron and I teamed up to bake our poor friend a birthday cake. Compared to Molly's it was almost a disaster. But Harry wrote back saying it was much better than Hagrid's. Ron and I felt accomplished.

Also that summer, I had received a few letters from dad. Andi got so mad when exotic looking birds flew through the kitchen window every other day. Ted and I got a kick out of it though. Before last term ended, Dumbledore took it upon himself to write a letter to my guardians and the Weasleys. In it was a long, very long, account of what really happened that Halloween night almost thirteen years ago. Ted, who was a very compassionate man, understood my father's actions and said he'd have done the same thing. Tonks was forgiving too, mentioning my dad was always her favorite cousin. It was Andi, however, who needed more convincing. I tried my very best to get her to see that dad was innocent; it finally paid off when those exotic birds came with his letters.

Right, well back to what I've been up to. Basically this: reading, homework, sketching, movies, homework, shopping with Tonks, writing letters to friends and (swoon) Oliver Wood, chores, homework, being bored, and homework. Fun huh? That was before I went to the Burrow. Now it's sketching, homework, Quidditch, late night chats with Ginny, Quidditch, swimming in the lake, Quidditch, writing letters to friends, swooning when Oliver Wood writes back, Quidditch, picnics, and more Quidditch.

After breakfast was over, Molly pulled out a letter she had been writing earlier. It was addressed to Harry's aunt and uncle. She was asking if Harry could come and stay at the Burrow and join us for the Quidditch World Cup which was happening Monday. After she signed it I saw her pull out an envelope. I nearly laughed out loud when I saw it. Every bit of it was covered in stamps except for the area where she addressed the letter to the Dursleys.

"Put enough stamps on, then," Ginny asked her mom.

"Oh, I believe so, dear. Have I done it right, Cora?"

I hid my laughter as I stared at the stamp covered envelope, "Oh, yeah. Perfect, Molly."

I turned and ran up the stairs to Ginny's room so I could write to Harry. I pulled some spare parchment, my quill, and my red ink from my trunk. My writing turned messy after a sentence. My note read: Ireland vs. Bulgaria on Monday night! Molly sending a letter to your aunt and uncle by Muggle post. Heard Arthur saying we're getting you even if they say no. Hermione's due to arrive Sunday night. YOU CANNOT MISS THIS! With love, Cora :0)

I folded up the note sloppily, the red ink still not very dry, and tied it to Solo's leg. As I was tightening the bound, he began hopping wildly. I knew he didn't want to go. I had been sending my owl all over the United Kingdom all summer. I gave the string one last tug and stroked Solo's dark feathers.

"Last journey, I promise. You can have a break after this trip."

I watched as Solo took off. When I was sure I couldn't see him anymore I placed my things back in my trunk carefully. The sound of footsteps made me look up. Fred was leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest and his shoulder-length red hair fanned out. My heart nearly stopped beating. _What the hell?_

I cleared my throat and looked back down at my trunk, "Whatcha ya want, Fred?"

I had a clear vision of what he was thinking…of what he'd say. Fred wanted to hold me, to kiss me. He'd go insane at the thought of me with another man. He saw me as his and I was his. I was the most beautiful creature in his eyes. I wanted to walk passed him and make his breath catch in his throat; I wanted to be the only one he looked at…his soulmate. I mentally shook my head. _What the hell, Cora?! You did not just think that about Fred…you don't love Fred! Love? Who said anything about love?_

"…so you up for it?"

"What," I squeaked.

"A round of Quidditch? You up for it?"

"Oh," I blinked. "Yeah, just…just give me a minute, kay?"

Fred looked at me funny before shrugging, "Kay."

As Fred left I hit my forehead with my palm, "Stupid, stupid, stupid! Cora, my dear, you are going crazy."

I grabbed my broom from under my cot and made my way into the garden. So that was it, seeing Fred in the doorframe was the pebble that started the avalanche. It hardly meant anything to me at the time. There was no special look, no firework-filled first kiss…he just stood there, looking like a god in all his glory. There was nothing I could do because from that moment on, no matter how hard I tried to fight it, I was falling deeply in love with Fred Weasley.


	3. Number 4 Privet Drive

**Noel Ardnek:**** The boy whose name escapes you is John Haring. He'll be appearing soon with more of those lame pickup lines Cora loves **_**so**_** much.**

**Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape:**** *thinks to self* …oops *places rubber band on wrist, snaps it* Ouch!**

_**Chapter 3: Number 4 Privet Drive**_

At five o'clock the next day I found myself in front of the fireplace with the Weasleys. Arthur, Ron, Fred, George, and I were using the Floo Network to get to Harry's aunt and uncle's house. The time passed as Molly fussed over her husband and children.

"Now straighten your clothes, Ron. Cora, so try and control that wild hair of yours. Arthur let me straighten your tie."

Doing what my godmother asked, I tied my curly black hair back into a bun at the nape of my neck. Ron, however, automatically untucked his shirt from his pants, making me giggle. He had a problem with dressing nice, I could tell. As Molly attempted to straighten out Arthur's tie, I heard the commotion up stairs. The twins, no doubt. When the two came bounding down I noticed Fred's pockets were bulging. My eyes narrowed at him. If they were planning what I thought they were planning…and if Molly found out…she'd go insane on their identical asses.

"Alright now, be good. And Arthur," Molly's husband looked up at her, "don't ask too many questions dear. You don't want to overwhelm them."

Arthur chuckled, "Of course I won't, Molly."

The twins shared an identical grin. No, not identical. Fred had more of a lopsided grin. _Oh, jeeze…_ Arthur straightened his robes as he looked at the crazy grandfather clock on the wall. It was practically half past five now. The patriarch Weasley grabbed the green powder from the flowerpot on the mantle and stepped into the fireplace. Very clearly and rather loudly, he stated our destination and was off. George followed shortly after. Before Fred was off, he caught my suspicious glare, and with a wink, he was off. Ron jumped in the fireplace not seconds later and he too was gone.

I took my own handful of Floo Powder, "Number four Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, England!"

The awful sensation of being sucked up a pipe happened all too fast. I closed my eyes as I 'flew' above the English landscape. I did not think Harry's aunt and uncle would like it very much if I got sick in their home. Suddenly, I heard voices.

"What are we doing here? Has something gone wrong?"

"Oh, no, Ron. No, this is exactly where we wanted to end up!"

"Yeah, we're having the time of our lives here."

Before I open my eyes, I was sucked into my exit…right where the voices were coming from. I slammed into something solid. It made a noise and then groaned. It was dark, too dark to see anything. Then, a familiar voice pierced the darkness.

"Mr. Weasley? What was that?"

"That must have been Cora," Arthur's voice said to Harry's voice. "Cora? Are you alright? I felt that landing from down here."

"Oh, don't worry about her, dad," George grunted. "Cora's not very light on her feet. She'll be fine. Ron however…"

"Ha-ha, George. Very funny," I said, my voice full of sarcasm. I tried to maneuver over Ron so I was off him. "How's your back?"

My friend grunted. I had landed on his back pretty hard. Another voice answered, "Peachy, thanks for asking."

"I wasn't asking you, Fred," I told him haughtily.

"Then next time why don't you –"

"Hey now," Arthur cut Fred off, "I'm trying to think what to do…Yes…only way…Stand back, Harry."

"Wait a moment," a new voice bellowed. "What exactly are you going to –?"

There was a loud bang and I was suddenly pushed down and out of the Dursleys fireplace. I heard a loud shriek and a girly scream. Ron and I were both hyperventilating next to each other on the floor. The Weasleys and I were covered in dust, rubble, and loose chippings from the fireplace. _So much for a good first impression._

"That's better," Arthur brushed himself of dirt and grime. When he noticed Harry's relatives, Arthur introduced himself, extending a hand. The fat man in front of him backed away, dragging his vulture-looking wife with him. They stood, gaping at Arthur as he explained the Floo Network to them. The vulture woman hid behind her huge husband even more. That's when Arthur noticed Harry.

"Trunk's upstairs," he said, grinning.

"We'll get it," Fred suddenly popped up from the floor. He grabbed his twin and the two raced up the stairs. I smirked. I knew they wanted to see Harry's porker of a cousin.

When the two were gone the silence settled in. "Well," Arthur began as he looked around, "very nice – uh – place you've got here."

Ron and I shared a look. What was once a spotless room was now covered in dust and bricks. The Dursleys didn't seem too happy with this remark. The fat man's face went purple and the vulture lady's eyes widened. It was a bit unsettling that they did not speak. They were probably too scared. Arthur, however, was looking around in fascination. He began chatting up the Dursleys while Harry walked over to me and Ron.

The two exchanged no words but did that man hug thing. I rolled my eyes at the two. When they released each other I threw my arms around Harry's neck. Had to make a big show for the relatives. "Harry I missed you," I exclaimed as he hugged me back, laughing.

"Missed you too, both of you."

Before he could say anything else, we all noticed his super fat, super ugly cousin, Dudley, appear in the room. Harry's trunk was clunking down the stairs, which might have scared the kid. I watched in amusement as he edged along the living room wall, eyes wide in fear. I looked at my two friends from the corner of my eye. The temptation to laugh was overwhelming. Arthur asked if Dudley was having a good holiday and the boy whimpered in fear. That was when Fred and George came in carrying Harry's trunk. Their faces split into evil grins when they spotted Dudley. I suddenly felt bad for him.

"Ah, right. Better get cracking," Arthur took out his wand. The Dursley family backed into the wall, scared out of their minds. "_Incendio_!"

Flames rose in the fireplace, burning warmly as if it had for hours. Arthur took out a small bag from his robes, opened it, took a pinch of green powder and threw it into the fire. The flames roared higher and turned green. He motioned for Fred to go first. The boy took off. A bag of sweets spilled out of his pockets, the contents rolling everywhere. I gasped softly when I saw the bright pink and orange wrapper of a candy I knew all too well. Fred scrambled around, picking up the sweets and shoving them in his pockets. He waved cheerily to Harry's relatives and was off. Vulture lady gasped in shock when Fred was sucked up the fireplace with a whoosh.

Harry helped George carry his trunk to the fire and turn it up so the redhead could carry it better. He was gone seconds after his twin. Ron waved to the Dursleys like Fred did and hopped into the fire. He shouted "the Burrow" and disappeared. I stayed behind with Arthur and Harry as the man tried to get my friend to give a proper goodbye to his relatives. Harry's eyes pleaded with me as he edged to the fireplace.

"Surely you're going to say goodbye? You aren't going to see your nephew till next summer," Arthur looked Harry's uncle in the eye.

"Arthur, maybe Harry just wants to –"

I was cut off by the fat man, "Goodbye, then."

"See you," Harry had a foot in the fire. At that same moment, a horrible gagging sound erupted behind us. Vulture lady screamed bloody murder.

Dudley was kneeling besides the coffee table, gagging on a foot-long, purple, slimy thing hanging out of his mouth. My eyes widened when I realized it was his tongue. A bright pink and orange candy wrapper lay on the floor next to him. _Fred…_ Vulture lady grasped his tongue, trying to wretch it from Dudley's mouth. That made the boy yell and try to fight her off. His arms flailed dangerously. Arthur approached the two, his wand drawn and ready to help. That was a problem. Harry's uncle shielded his son from Arthur as he tried to explain the toffee was a joke candy made by the twins. As things got out of control faster than I thought, I grasped Harry's wrist and dragged him into the fire.

"The Burrow," I shouted. We shot up just as the fat man threw something at Arthur, narrowly missing his head and our feet. The last thing I heard was Vulture lady screaming her head off and Dudley moaning and groaning, his tongue the size of a large snake by then. The fireplace began to spin rather fast as we shot out of the fireplace, wrapped in green flames.


	4. Dinner with the Family

_**Chapter 4: Dinner with the Family**_

My insides burned as I fell out of the Weasleys' fireplace on my knees. I knew Harry was next to me because I heard Fred ask if Dudley ate the candy. When I got my senses back, I saw Harry and Fred in the kitchen, talking about the candy Fred and George had created. Ton-Tongue Toffee; a candy with an Engorgement Charm to make the tongue of the eater swell in size.

As I walked into the kitchen, the Weasley boys and Harry were laughing at what had happened to Dudley. I leaned on the wall, my arms crossed. "That could have seriously injured him, Fred. It's not funny."

"Oh, c'mon Cora. The Muggle was asking for it," Fred smiled at me. I just rolled my eyes again. When I looked away from him, I noticed two older red-heads I had grown particularly fond of in the course of a few months.

"Bill! Charlie!" Both men got to their feet to greet me. I ran straight into Bill's arms first, hugging him tightly. Charlie picked me up from behind and spun me around. I giggled when he set me down. I hadn't seen the eldest Weasley kids since the beginning of summer when I first met them.

Charlie was shorter than Bill by a few inches or so. He wasn't tall and skinny like his brothers, but a tad shorter and stockier (he had been the Gryffindor Seeker while he was at Hogwarts). His hands were callused and blistered from working with dragons in Romania. He had a broad, good-natured face, which was tanned from many days out in the sun and dusted with freckles; his arms were muscular and he had a large shiny burn on the right one. I thought it was cute. Women loved battle scars.

Bill was tall, his long hair tied back in a ponytail. He was wearing an earring that had a fang dangling from it. I chuckled as I thought about his job at Gringotts. Bill was a Curse Breaker for the bank, but if I looked at him I would have thought he was in a band. His clothes made him look like he had just been at a rock concert. Also, his boots were made from dragon hide. Can you say badass much!

Before anyone could say another word, Arthur popped out of thin air right behind George, making him jump a little. He looked pissed. It was the angriest I'd ever seen him. "That wasn't funny, Fred," he shouted. "What on earth did you give that Muggle boy?!"

Fred's grin turned evil, "I didn't give him anything. It fell out of my pocket. It wasn't my fault he went and ate it…I never told him to, did I?"

"How big did his tongue get," George asked, sincerely interested.

"It was four feet long before his parents would let me shrink it," Arthur exclaimed.

The boys and Harry laughed their heads off. Arthur looked like he was going to blow a fuse. I just shook my head at the immaturity of the Weasley children…and Harry. When things calmed down a bit, I smirked. "Wait till Molly hears about this."

"Hear about what," a voice said from behind us. Molly entered the kitchen, oblivious to the wide-eyed looks of Harry and her children. She smiled kindly at Harry, "Hello, Harry, dear. Tell me what?"

Arthur hesitated. I knew no matter how angry he was at Fred; he wasn't going to tell Molly of the incident. We were all silent as Molly eyed her husband. He mumbled that it was nothing and that he just needed to have a few words with the twins.

Molly's eyes narrowed, "If it's got anything to do with Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes –"

Suddenly everyone got up and spoke at once…

"Harry, let me show you where you're staying…" –Ron

"I need to check on that thing…" –Bill

"Great idea, Ron…" –Harry

"Cora, why don't you and I play some Wizard Chess…?" –Charlie

"Molly, it's really…" –Arthur

"Oh, I think I left my curling iron on…" –me

"Garden needs de-gnoming…" –George

"I think I'll just go for a stroll…" –Fred

"EVERYONE STAYES WHERE THEY ARE," Molly bellowed.

Harry, Ron and I edged out of the kitchen unnoticed. We set off along the hall and up the staircase that zigzagged to the upper stories. As we made our way to Ron's room, Harry asked what Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes were. Ron laughed and I did manage to chuckle. I mean, it wasn't funny that Fred purposely dropped the toffee for Dudley to test. But it was funny what the twins were doing with their products. They made fake wands, trick sweets, and loads of other great stuff that rivaled Zonko's. Although, Ron and I both agreed that some of their products were dangerous. Molly found out the twins wanted to sell the stuff at Hogwarts and she flipped; burned it all up. I didn't blame her.

As we passed the second landing, a face poked out of a door. Percy emerged wearing a very annoyed expression, "I was wondering who was making all the noise? I am very busy in here. It's rather difficult to concentrate when people are thundering up and down the stairs."

Ron scoffed, "Well sorry we're disturbing your top-secret workings of the Ministry of Magic."

Harry, only having been here a few minutes and not knowing about Percy, had to ask what the elder Weasley was doing. As he explained for the thousandth time about the Department of International something or another, Ron and I both groaned. He turned and began walking up the stairs as Percy huffed, slamming his bedroom door. Harry and I followed Ron up three more flights of stairs. We could still hear Molly shouting at the twins.

Ron's room hadn't changed much since I first met him two summers ago. The same posters of the Chudley Cannons were plastered on the walls. There was a fish tank on the windowsill that contained a large frog. The only thing different were the extra three beds squeezed into the room. Ron explained to Harry that Bill and Charlie took Fred and George's room so they had to stay with him.

Ron cleared a path to his bed with his foot, pushing everything under the bed or in front of his dresser. I sat cross-legged on an unmade bed as I began to braid my curly hair. Harry fell back on the only made bed, staring up at the Chudley Cannons Keeper hovering in front of three hoops. "Percy's enjoying work, then," he asked us.

Ron gave a dark chuckle, "I don't reckon he'd come home if Dad didn't make him. He's obsessed. Just don't get him on the subject of his boss…"

I giggled, standing up. "_According to Mr. Crouch…as I was saying to Mr. Crouch…Mr. Crouch is of the opinion…Mr. Crouch was telling me…_Crouch this and Crouch that," I imitated Percy.

"They'll be announcing the engagement any day now," Ron added.

Harry and I both chuckled. I could tell Ron didn't want to talk about his older brother so I turned to Harry. "So how was your summer, really? Did you get the food and stuff?"

He smiled, "Yeah, thanks. They saved my life, those cakes."

Ron suddenly asked if Harry or I had heard from my father. I gave my ginger friend a weak smile. Ron and Hermione had both gotten too involved with helping my father escape a horrible fate last year. It was wonderful to know they (in this case Ron) cared about him. But, he was still a touchy subject. I didn't answer because I didn't know if dad had tried to reach Harry or not. I just knew Harry told his aunt and uncle about him.

"I think they've stopped arguing," Harry said, trying to get around the awkwardness.

The three of us went back downstairs to find Molly alone in the kitchen. She looked extremely bad-tempered. "We're eating out in the garden," she said. "There's just not enough room in here. Cora, could you take the plates? Knives and forks, please, you two?"

Molly pointed her wand at the potatoes in the sink. They suddenly shot out of their skins so fast they bounced off the walls and ceiling. She let out a frustrated cry and set the dustpan to work on collecting the skins from the floor. Meanwhile, Molly complained about her twin sons under her breath. She slammed a large saucepan down on the kitchen table, making my two friends and I jump. With another wave of her wand, creamy sauce flowed from the wand tip as she stirred. Suddenly, the cutlery drawer shot open. Harry and Ron ducked as knives flew their way across the kitchen where they began cutting potatoes.

I noticed a wand on the kitchen table and went to grab it. Molly beat me to it, shouting in frustration when it squeaked and turned into a giant rubber mouse. On the stove, the sauce was smoking and the knives were sloppily cutting the potatoes.

Ron grabbed a handful of cutlery from the drawer. He handed them to Harry and took another handful, "Let's go help Bill and Charlie."

I took the stack of plates and followed my friends out the back door into the yard. We hadn't even gone a few feet from the door when we saw a litter of muddy brown things running around wildly. Barely ten inches high, their horny little feet pattered fast as they chased each other bush to bush. These were the resident garden gnomes and they were nasty little beasts. At the same time, a large crashing reached our ears. We rounded the corner to see Bill and Charlie with their wands out, making two old tables smash into each other. Fred and George cheered as Ginny laughed at the older boys' attempt at entertainment. I felt torn between enjoyment and concern. Molly would not be happy with what her boys were doing. Bill's table caught Charlie's, knocking one of the legs off.

"Will you keep it down," Percy bellowed. His head was poking out of a window on the second floor. He threw us all a nasty look before slamming the window shut.

The older boys shared an amused look and set the tables down. With a flick of Bill's wand, the tables were spiffed up and covered by two tablecloths. Harry, Ron, and I set the two tables. By seven we were filling ourselves with Molly's delicious cooking. I had my share of her creamy onion soup, meatballs with onion sauce, brussels sprouts with chestnuts, herb and garlic mashed potatoes, and an apple tart to finish. I didn't know how I wasn't overweight because of all the food I ate…honestly I was just naturally round.

I sighed in contentment as Harry and I sat under the clear inky sky with the Weasleys. It was wonderful to just sit beneath the trees in the garden with my good friends. Well, I could hardly call them my friends…Harry and the Weasley family were my family now. I sat back against my chair, listening to Charlie talk about his work in Romania with the dragons. Harry, who was sitting on my right, was helping himself to more mashed potatoes. On my left was Ron who was stuffing his face as usual, diagonal from me were Fred and George, and Charlie was across from me.

At the far end of the table, Percy was telling his Arthur about his report on cauldron bottoms. From over the loud laughs of Charlie, Fred, and George I could hear Percy's pompous voice say something about his boss. _There he goes again…Mr. Crouch this, Mr. Crouch that._ As soon as he mentioned someone named Ludo Bagman, Arthur cut his son off.

"…when I compare him to Mr. Crouch," Percy rambled over his father. The rest of us went silent as Percy continued his rant about the Ministry. Harry leaned over and shared a look with Ron, trying not to laugh when Percy exclaimed his boss's name. "As you know, we've got another big event to organize right after the World Cup."

Percy cleared his throat, looking down the table where Harry, Ron, Ginny, the twins, and I were sitting. Ron rolled his eyes, leaning closer to me and Harry, "He's been trying to get me to ask what the event is ever since he started working. Probably an exhibition of thick-bottomed cauldrons."

Other conversations started up and I heard Molly arguing with Bill about his fang earring. In front of me, Charlie began a conversation about the World Cup. "It's got to be Ireland," he said, spiritedly. "They flattened Peru in the semifinals."

"Bulgaria has Krum, though," Fred pointed out.

"Krum's a decent player, sure," I shrugged. The boys and Ginny all looked at me. Fred's eyebrow rose. "Ireland has seven decent players, though. That's six more than Bulgaria's got."

"I wish England got through," Charlie said as he chewed on a meatball. "That was embarrassing, that was."

Harry asked what happened. Charlie explained rather dejectedly that they went down to Transylvania 390 to 10. It was a horrible loss for them. Fred continued the conversation as Harry left it. No one was more excited for the World Cup than Fred. I had a feeling I knew why. By nine, Molly lit candles as it got darker and darker. Moths fluttered low over the table and the warm air smelled of grass and honeysuckle. Ron suddenly leaned over again and then, very quietly, asked, "So – have you heard from Sirius lately?"

"Yeah," Harry said softly. "I heard from him twice. I wrote to him yesterday."

The two looked at me. I glanced down and across the table to see if anyone was listening. I nodded in confirmation, "I heard from him the day I left to come here. I told him not to write until school starts back up. I didn't want to risk anything. The post he uses…well it's a little flamboyant."

Harry snickered and replied sarcastically, "A little?"

I smiled a genuine smile. I elbowed him, "Oh, shut up."

"My! Look at the time," Molly said suddenly as she checked her wristwatch. "You should be in bed, the lot of you."

I laughed when Bill and Charlie groaned, complaining that they were older and didn't need a bedtime. With a flick of her wand, Molly cleared the table and the candles went out. I yawned, lacing my arm around Ginny's. We said goodnight to Harry and the rest of her family and made the tiresome journey up to her room. The young girl fell onto her bed and was out. I chuckled as I changed behind her dresser. I was so tired from the day's events that I passed out as soon as my head hit my pillow. That night I had happy dreams about Quidditch and redheads with Scottish accents.


	5. The Portkey

**A/N: So I was listening to the PoA soundtrack and guess what I found? A score by John Williams called 'A Window to the Past'! It's in the scene where Remus and Harry are talking in the forest. I couldn't believe how ironic that was…I had no idea that's what the music was called. It fits though. The last story was called Window to the Past. Funny. Thank you to Mrs. 11th for the only review of the last chapter. Here's the deal ladies (and gentlemen?), I haven't been getting any of those wonderful review which I love getting so if I don't get at least 4 to 6 on this chapter…well let's just say Avalanche will be on a long hiatus. C'mon people *insert smiley face here* I want to finish the story but I can't do that if people aren't reading it. And that concludes my rant. Enjoy the chapter.**

_**Chapter 5: The Portkey**_

Two days passed in a blur. The night before the World Cup, Molly made us a large dinner. At nine she forced all of us into bed with full bellies. We had to be up at the crack of dawn to get to the Cup. Harry and I left our school list with Molly so she could get our new books and things from Diagon Alley. Apparently there wouldn't be enough time for us to get it ourselves. The last match went on for five days! Harry was a ball of enthusiasm; he clearly did not want to go to school. Percy was the least excited, saying he couldn't stand the state of his in-tray at work if he was away five days. Fred joked that someone might slip dragon dung in it…again. His pompous brother turned redder than his hair as he told us it was a fertilizer sample from Norway, nothing personal. _A likely story!_ When Percy went to his room, Fred turned to me and said it was personal. He and George sent it.

It was early in the morning (way to early if you ask me) when I was shaken awake on the day of the game. I opened my eyes to see my bushy-haired best friend hovering over me. She was already dressed for the day and had a bag slung over her shoulder.

"When'd you get here," I yawned largely.

"Just now," Hermione replied with a grin. "Get dressed. Ginny says her mum will have breakfast ready soon."

As Hermione left Ginny's room, I rolled out of bed. I dressed in dark jeans and a green shirt (supporting Ireland of course). I yawned again and stretched as I grabbed my pack and headed downstairs into the kitchen. Molly was, as always, over the stove while Arthur was shuffling through a package which held our tickets. He looked up as I entered, spreading his arms so I could see his Muggle clothes. He was wearing a golf sweater and an old pair of jeans.

"Do I look Muggle enough, Cora?"

I smiled, "Yup, perfect."

Molly turned around and smiled at me. "All ready for the match," she asked. I nodded and sat down at the table. Hermione and Ginny appeared in the doorway, along with Fred and George. "Where are Ron and Harry?"

"Still asleep," Fred answered. He rolled his neck around as he took a seat next to me. I cringed when I heard the cracking noises.

Molly asked Hermione to wake them as she poured porridge into bowls. With a flick of her wand, the bowls floated to the table and were set down in front of us. I put three large spoonful's of sugar in mine and grabbed a handful of raisins. Before the other Weasleys could dig in I had already began chowing down. I was freakin' hungry!

"Where're Bill, Charlie, and Per-Per-Percy," George yawned.

"They're going to Apparate there later so they can have a bit of a lie-in," Molly explained as to why her three eldest sons weren't with us.

"So they're still in bed," Fred grumbled. "Why can't we Apparate too?"

"Because you're not of age and haven't passed the test, dimwit," I chuckled.

Fred threw me a glare and bumped his knee against mine, sending a jolt up my spine. There were footsteps in the passageway and Hermione, Ron, and Harry came into the kitchen. The boys looked pale and drowsy. Ron rubbed his eyes, "Why do we have to be up so early?"

"We've got a bit of a walk," Arthur said. Collective groans from his family (me as well) were heard around the table. "We only need to walk a short way. It's difficult for a large number of wizards to congregate without attracting Muggle attention. We have to be careful about how we travel."

"George," Molly said sharply. We all jumped at the sudden change in tone. "What's than in your pocket?"

"Nothing…"

"Don't you lie to me," Molly pointed her wand at George's pocket. "_Accio_!"

Several small, brightly colored objects zoomed out of George's pocket. He tried to grab them but missed and they sped right into Molly's hand. _Uh-oh._ Molly threw a fit. She had her twin sons empty their pockets. They had been trying to smuggle out as many of their sweets from the house as possible. Molly used the Summoning Charm at least three more times to get all the candies off the boys. They came from all sorts of unlikely places, like the lining of George's jacket and the cuffs of Fred's jeans.

"We spent six months developing those," Fred shouted at his mother as she threw the candies away.

"Oh, a fine way to spend six months! No wonder you didn't get more O.W.L.s," Molly retorted.

The atmosphere was not very friendly as we left the Burrow moments later. Molly was still glowering as she hugged and kissed us all goodbye. Fred and George, however, walked out without another word to her. Molly's face fell as she shouted at them to behave. As the rest of us set off, Molly said she'd send the other three later on in the day. No one answered her.

It was chilly and still dark as we moved on through a wooded area. The sky turned orange and pink along the horizon where the sun was slowly rising. Arthur caught up to the twins, passing them by at a rate I had no idea he was capable of. Harry and Ron fell behind as Hermione, Ginny, and I walked side-by-side talking about the stuff we wanted to do when we got to the World Cup. Besides our soft conversation, it was quiet. The only sounds were our footsteps and the soft breeze through the leaves in the trees. We walked until the sun was just over the horizon, making the sky a deep blue tinged with pink and orange and now red. My hands were frozen inside my jacket pockets and my feet were starting to get damp from walking in the dewy grass.

"Hey dad," Ron shouted from behind. "Where are we going?"

"Haven't the foggiest," Arthur shouted back. "Keep up!"

Up ahead, a man was standing under a large tree. When he saw Arthur he smiled widely, "Arthur! It's about time!"

The girls and I neared as the two men shook hands. The other wizard was tall and had an aging face with peppery brown hair. His oval glasses were slightly askew on his wide nose. Arthur introduced him as Amos Diggory. He worked with Arthur at the Ministry in the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. As he was saying this, a rather handsome boy whom I had met before dropped down from the tree.

Cedric Diggory was the boy all the girls wanted at school. Like I said, he was a very handsome seventeen-year-old; tall, strong and silent type. He had chiseled features with light brown hair and light brown eyes. He was the Seeker and Captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team at school. He greeted us all, smiling a dazzling smile. We all said hi back except for Fred and George. They had never quite forgiven Cedric for beating Gryffindor in the first match last year (the one where Harry fell a few thousand feet in the rain).

"Well," Arthur hiked up his pack, "better be on. Still have more walking to do."

We all followed in suite. Ginny giggled softly as Cedric turned to follow. I looked at her, then back to him. I nudged her with my elbow and smiled, understanding why she felt the need to giggle. Cedric had a nice ass. Behind us I heard Mr. Diggory introducing himself to Harry and start up a conversation. I decided to leave Hermione with Ginny the Giggling Mess and catch up to Cedric.

"Hey," I greeted the older boy.

"Hello, Cora," Cedric smiled. "Have a nice summer?"

"I did, thanks. You?"

"Same old, same old. Father had me practicing all summer. Have to win the Cup this year, you know."

I laughed, causing the twins to look over at us. "Like that'll happen! Gryffindor will kick Hufflepuff butt this year!"

"Keep telling yourself that," Cedric looked at me with another charming smile. "Wood's gone this year. Good luck finding a Keeper as good as he was."

I groaned as we began walking uphill. It was hard to talk as we climber higher and higher, "Don't remind me."

The older boy laughed again as we followed and eventually caught up to Arthur and the twins. The dewy grass made it hard to keep my footing. I stumbled over the occasional rabbit hole and slipped on tufts of grass. Cedric had to catch me at times. I apologized but he said it was nothing. What a nice guy. Soon each breath was sharp in my chest and my thigh muscles screamed at me. I hated being out of shape.

"There it is," Arthur pointed to something at the top of the hill.

Ginny sped past us all, reaching the top first. I kept my pace as Cedric caught up with her. Upon my arrival to the top I took a large breath and let it out loudly. Climbing was not my thing. Looking down I saw our mode of transportation; an old boot. Right away I realized it was a Portkey, something I had never used before. I stood in the semi-circle next to Ginny as we waited for the others to catch up.

"Why are they standing around a manky old boot," Harry questioned out loud.

"That isn't just any manky old boot, mate," Fred smirked, joining the circle.

"That's a Portkey," George finished, following his twin.

"Time to go," Mr. Diggory announced.

Everyone was in the circle now. It was a bit difficult seeing as there were ten of us and we all had bulky packs on our backs. A chilly breeze swept over the hilltop, making me shiver next to Ginny and Hermione. We all touched the boot, trying to keep at least one finger on the old leather.

"After three," Arthur told us. "One…two…"

"Harry," Hermione exclaimed. Harry rushed over, throwing his hand over the twins to touch the boot.

"THREE!"

I screamed as we shot up into the air. I felt as though a hook had yanked me up from my navel. I didn't look down as my feet left the ground. I could feel Ginny and Hermione on either side of me, their shoulders banging into mine. We sped forward in a howl of wind and swirling colors of green, white, blue, and red. My finger felt as if it was glued to the boot, keeping me from falling to the ground below. After a few minutes, Arthur shouted at us.

"Let go!"

"What," Hermione screamed incredulously.

"Let go!"

Suddenly my finger detached itself from the boot. Ginny, Hermione, and I screamed as we all fell to the ground. Hermione and Ginny hit the ground next to Ron as I fell on top of George, who was just getting up. He let out a muffled groan.

"Ah gravity, thou art a heartless bitch," I groaned and I looked at George. "Sorry." _I fall on people a lot…_

"It's okay," he smirked as I got off him. "Not like you weigh a ton."

I playfully smacked him in the chest as Fred walked over to us, his expression unreadable. "Alright you love birds, time to get up."

I laughed as Fred grasped my hand, helping me stand. We were standing close, very close. I was very aware of the warmth in my hand and the heavy thumping my chest. I watched as the corner of Fred's lips twitched up. "I bet that cleared your sinuses, eh," Arthur slapped Fred on the back. I looked away from the young red-head twin, blushing furiously. Fred grabbed his fallen pack and left to join his twin. I let out a short breath. _What the hell just happened?_

"Cora," Hermione waved me over to where she was standing with Harry and Ron. I ran to catch up with them. Everyone was standing at the edge of the hill. Just beyond was a massive, MASSIVE crowd gathered in the basin. We could hear the music and cheering from all the way up on the knoll. Hundreds upon thousands of tents were set up. All stretched out in front of a large stadium that glittered in the early morning sunlight.

"Well kids," Arthur smiled. "Welcome to the Quidditch World Cup!"


	6. Before the Match

**Thanks to **_**Ddraig93**_** for reviewing Window to the Past**

_**Mrs. 11th**_** I hope that nervous breakdown didn't land you somewhere where you can't read Avalanche lol**

**I'm uber glad that **_**vlascoD14**_** loved the Fred/Cora moment because I've got plenty more in mind**

**To **_**thecompletebookworm**_** I have felt the virtual love and I am here with another chapter (finally) yay**

_**Chapter 6: Before the Match**_

Down in the basin was a marvelous experience. All sorts of music was playing; Irish jigs, Celtic hymns, some sort of Bulgarian opera or whatever, everything to support the two teams playing the Cup. People flew overhead on brooms, there were tents filled with goods to support Ireland and Bulgaria, delicious scents swirled about my nose as the world danced around me. We past rows of tents too. Some looked ordinary and others…not so much. Many had chimneys or weather vanes or both. Hermione and I laughed at a tent that was obviously magical. It was covered in striped silk and had peacock feathers at the entrance. Another tent had three floors and another had a mini front garden complete with birdbath, sundial, and fountain.

We approached a smaller more ordinary tent with a small sign hammered into the ground that read: WEASLEY. "Parting of the waves I think, old chap," Mr. Diggory said to Arthur. The men clasped hands again. "See you at the match."

"Be off with you then," Arthur laughed, giving the other man's hand a good shake.

"Bye Cedric," Harry and I called to the Hufflepuff seventh year simultaneously. Cedric smiled and waved as he and his father walked off.

"Home sweet home," Arthur sighed happily as he entered the small tent.

The Weasley kids, Harry, Hermione, and I looked at the tent skeptically. Ginny followed her dad first. The twins shared a shrug and went in after their sister. "Are we all going to fit in that thing," I asked, still staring at our tent. Once Bill, Charlie, and Percy arrived we'd be a party of eleven.

Hermione and Ron both left me and Harry outside as they too entered the tent. I gave Harry a look that said 'now or never' and we ducked through the flap. When I looked up, I felt my jaw drop. The inside was defiantly three times bigger than the outside. We had walked into what looked like an old-fashioned, three-room apartment complete with kitchen and bathroom. The one thing I did not like was the furnishing. There were crocheted covers on the mismatched chairs and it had strong smell of cats. I was not very fond of cats.

"Girls choose a bunk and unpack. Sorry but two of you will have to share," Hermione and Ginny rushed into one of the bigger rooms to grab the biggest bunk. Ron had entered the kitchen and was looking for something to snack on. "Ron get out of the kitchen, we're all hungry."

"Yeah get out of the kitchen Ron," the twins said simultaneously. They were sitting at the large round table, feet propped up, leaning back in their chairs.

"Feet off the table," Arthur scolded lightly.

"Feet off the table," the twins mocked, taking their feet off the table. As soon as Arthur walked past, they replaced their feet on the table.

Harry looked at me, smiling, "I love magic!"

"Couldn't have a better spot," Arthur said happily. He opened his pack and reached in for something. At that moment, Ginny and Hermione came back out of the biggest room. Hermione walked over to the kitchen, rummaging through the cupboards and Ginny flopped down on the salmon pink crochet-covered couch. "Right," Arthur began again as he withdrew a map. "No magic allowed, strictly speaking, while we're on Muggle lands."

The twins groaned. Hermione held out a dusty kettle and said, "We need water."

"There's a tap marked on this map…" Arthur flipped in over "…somewhere…"

"I saw one coming in," I helped him.

"Well, why don't you, Ron, Harry, and Hermione go get us some water then," Hermione grabbed a couple large saucepans so we wouldn't have to go back and forth to get water. "The rest of us will get food and wood for a fire."

After complaints from Ron, we set off across camp with the kettle and saucepans. The sun was now high overhead, making the walk hot and tiresome. But, we made our way through the rows of tents, taking in the sights eagerly. It was so amazing to see all the tents from the different countries. Our fellow campers were starting to rise and walk about. There was a little boy about two poking a slug with a wand outside a pyramid-shaped tent. His mother came out and scolded him for using his dad's wand. Ron laughed when the slug burst, Hermione rolled her eyes at his immaturity. Further on were two little girls riding on toy broomsticks. I smiled, a distant memory of myself and a black-haired boy riding on those same brooms flashed before my eyes.

Adult wizards and witches emerged from their tents. Some had secretive looks, conjuring fires or water with their wands. Others were trying to lite matches, burning themselves in the process. We saw three African wizards in white having a serious conversation and roasting a rabbit on what looked like a bright purple fire. I gasped in shock and happiness when I saw the next tent. A group of middle-aged witches sat by their tents, a star spangled banner stretched between them with bold black letters that read: THE SALEM WITCHES' INSTITUTE.

As we walked by, I craned my neck to see if I could spot anyone I knew. Just old witches, no old friends. Suddenly, we walked into an area of all green. The tents were covered in thick shamrocks, making them look like little Hobbit holes. Much laughter and loud talking could be heard from those who had their flaps open. Harry nudged me in the side. A rather short man stumbled across the lawn and into one of the covered tents. He was struggling with many mugs filled to the brim with what I didn't think was butterbeer.

"Harry! Ron! Hermione! Cora!"

The four of us turned around to see Seamus Finnigan. He was sitting in front of a covered tent with an older woman, who I guessed was him mom, and Dean Thomas. He asked us if we liked the decorations and told us that the Ministry wasn't too happy about them. Seamus's mom eyed us, asking if we were supporting Ireland. Harry assured her we did and we moved on.

"Like we'd say anything else surrounded by that lot," Ron commented.

Up the field, there was a large Bulgarian flag indicating where the Bulgarian tents were located. Each one of them had the same poster attached to it. The picture was of a surly faced man with buzzed hair and heavy black eyebrows. The man was blinking and scowling, nothing else.

"Krum," Ron said quietly. "Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian Seeker!"

"He looks really grumpy," Hermione observed as we passed another scowling Krum.

My lip curled in disgust, "Ditto."

Ron flipped on us. He said Krum is an unbelievable Seeker and young, 17 or 18 or something. I smirked when Ron said Krum was a genius. He looked more brawn than brain. Around the corner, there was already a small line for the pump. We stepped in line right behind two wizards in an argument. I didn't really catch what they were saying, just something about a pair of ridiculous pin-striped pants. Hermione's face went so red as she tried to hide her giggles. She had to go around the corner until the wizard wearing the awful pants left.

As soon as we got our water we headed back to our campsite. On the way, we spotted more of the familiar Hogwarts faces and their families. The first person was Oliver Wood. Oliver almost literally dragged Harry over to meet his parents. He excitedly told Harry he'd gotten on the Puddlemere United reserve team. I, of course, already knew that. While Oliver's parents engaged Harry in some small talk, Oliver turned to me. I giggled like an idiot when he asked what I thought of the World Cup so far. Sure we hadn't seen much, but I'm sure I said "it's cool" about ten times before I felt Hermione tugging at my sleeve.

The next person we saw was Ernie Macmillian and then further away Hermione and I waved to our fellow Gryffindor and roommate Jo Walker. Beyond her was Cho Chang. Cho was a very pretty Ravenclaw fifth year of Asian descent. After a nod to me, she smiled and waved to Harry. He dumped a ton of water down his front in attempt to wave back. Ron and I laughed to ourselves. Harry had been smitten with Cho ever since the first Gryffindor-Ravenclaw match last year.

"Hey! Hey Coralynn!"

"Oh, no," I groaned. The voice of the boy I abhorred the most came from behind in short panting breaths. I didn't know he was following us…I wish he hadn't. Ron turned first, a scowl appearing on his brow. Harry and Hermione both had amused looks on their faces as I turned, a forced grimace/smile stretched across my face. "Hello John. Good summer?"

"Cora, you must be magical because I've fallen under your spell."

If looks could kill, John Haring you have been long dead by now. Ron's fist clenched. "You don't seem to remember my fist in your face, Haring," Ron threatened. "Like to be reacquainted?"

"Ron," Hermione threw him a stern look.

I sighed, "Let's just go."

My three friends and I turned to leave. John reached out, grabbing my arm. When I looked at the boy a flash of remorse flickered through his eyes. "Cora, I'm sorry. You know I don't mean anything by it…right? It's just all in good fun?"

My eyes narrowed as I yanked my arm out of his grasp. "Grow up," I hissed.

When we reached our tent, I was still in a bad mood. Not even Fred and George could cheer me up. I gave a half grin when Arthur attempted to start a fire, but that was the extent of my happiness. Bill, Charlie, and Percy arrived just as Hermione and Ginny started cooking a light meal. Some man, Ludo Bagman I think his name was, came over. I really didn't pay any attention. After the twins bet him 37 Galleons, 15 Sickles, and 3 Knuts that Ireland would win the match but Krum would catch the Snitch, I zoned out. They really had to be more careful with their money.

Things got really interesting when Bagman mentioned Barty Crouch. Percy had to defend his employer. He argued that Crouch could speak over two hundred languages. When he mentioned Troll, Fred joked that anyone could speak Troll. I agreed when he said all you had to do was point and grunt. Bagman and Arthur continued with their conversation as Hermione, Ginny, and I cleared the table from our meal.

"Cora, stop," Hermione pulled me aside and away from the others. "Look, I know Haring's always giving you a hard time but don't bring us down with your bad mood, okay?"

I opened my mouth to say something, but I found I was speechless. My best friend patted my shoulder and walked back out of the tent to where the others were. I closed my eyes, sighing as I pinched the bridge of my nose. I normally did this when my temper started to flare. It wasn't like Hermione was flat out yelling at me, she just wanted to have a good time and she was right, my bad mood would bring everyone down. I couldn't let one stupid-dumb-immature-jerk faced-asshole boy mess that up. No, the match would start in a few hours and I was going to forget John Haring ever talked to me today. In fact, I was gonna forget I ever had to see his stupid blonde hair that naturally pointed up in a fohawk with his slightly tanned skin and Quidditch muscles that stood out under his tight shirt and his gorgeous blue eyes that sparkled with Ravenclaw wisdom and his adorable accent with the slightest lisp.

_Wait…WHAT?!_


	7. Ireland v Bulgaria

**Mrs. 11th:**** I'm mean to my characters…but I'm not that mean. Cora's a teenage girl. She may not like a guy but she may think he's hot. Like John for example; hates his guts but realizes he's pretty attractive. And yes, Fred's death makes it very complicated…but I have a very defined idea of what's to come after the Battle of Hogwarts.**

**Chapter 7: Ireland vs. Bulgaria**

Magic broke out everywhere by the time the sun went down. Salesmen Apparated every few feet, carrying trays of colorful and (excuse the pun) magical merchandise. People stopped to buy shimmering rosettes which squealed the names of the Irish or Bulgarian players, pointed green hats with dancing shamrocks on them, and red Bulgarian scarfs with lions that actually roared. There were flags from each country that played their national anthem, tiny Firebolts that flew, and figurines of the players that walked around and flew on the tiny Firebolts.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and I squeezed through the crowds in order to buy souvenirs. Ron bought a dark red bowler hat and a small Viktor Krum figurine. Harry hurried off to a cart with what looked like brass binoculars. Ron gushed over them, wishing he hadn't bought his hat. Harry bought four. Ron's face went red. The Omnioculars were ten Galleons each. Harry joked that we wouldn't be getting Christmas presents from him for about ten years.

After the four of us were done buying stuff, we met back up with the rest of the Weasley clan. Ginny, Bill, and Charlie were all sporting dancing shamrock hats and Arthur was carrying one of those singing flags (Irish anthem of course). Fred and George both sported long green scarves and their faces were painted in support of Ireland. A deep booming sounded somewhere and all at once, green and red lanterns blazed to life, lighting a path to the field.

"It's time," Arthur said excitedly.

I stuck close to the twins as thousands of people made their way to the gigantic Quidditch field. There were shouts and laughter and singing all around; the atmosphere was highly infectious. I wished Ted and Tonks were with me. They would have loved it! Dad too, he definitely would have loved to me here with me and Harry. As we got closer to the stadium, I gasped in wonder. The gold walls rose high into the inky sky. The stairs into the stadium were carpeted in purple but stopped as we continued to climb higher and higher.

"Blimey dad, how far up are we," Ron asked as we all went up.

"Well put it this way," a slimy smooth voice answered. I groaned when I looked down. On the landing below us stood Lucius Malfoy and his son Draco, my cousins. "If it rains…you'll be the first to know."

"Father and I are in the Minister's box, by personal invitation of Cornelius Fudge himself," Draco smirked as he followed his father into the Minister's box.

Harry and I shared a look. We both rolled our eyes and continued up. Thousands of magic folk were taking their seats, which rose in levels around the field. Everything was basked in a soft golden light making the stadium glow almost brighter than the sun. On the opposite side of the stadium, just below eye level, was a gigantic blackboard. Gold writing appeared and disappeared, flashing advertisements for all sorts of products. We finally got to our seats, which were way high up in the sky, after a few more minutes of climbing. We were all out of breath and feeling tired, but it was so worth it.

Percy had disappeared on us. He most likely went off to sit with his future wife, Barty Crouch. It didn't bother me though; Percy would just be a killjoy and ruin our fun. Bill and Charlie went down the row first, followed by Hermione and Harry (who chose to support Bulgaria at the last minute), Ginny went after him, then Ron and I, Fred and George, and Arthur brought up the rear.

Everyone was interested in their own thing; pointing out something they thought looked cool and whatnot. Next to me, Ron pulled out his Omnioculars and tested them. He smiled, "Wild! I can make that old bloke down there pick his nose again…and again…and again…"

"Ew," I scrunched up my nose, nudging him with my elbow. He laughed and lowered the device.

"Oye Ron," George leaned over Fred to look at his younger brother. "Spot any pretty ladies?"

Ron's face went red as he placed the Omnioculars over his eyes again. Down the row, Hermione was skimming through the velvet-covered, tasseled program. She shouted down to us that a display from the team mascots would precede the match. Gradually, the rows filled up over the next half hour. Suddenly, a loud fanfare began playing, echoing all around. Green and while balloons floated through the air as an Irish melody blasted in our ears.

A great green and gold comet zoomed across the stadium. It did a full circle before breaking off into smaller comets. A rainbow arched across the field, connecting the two balls of gold. When that disappeared, the two balls became one great big shamrock which floated above our heads and rained golden sparkles. I used the Omnioculars to get a better look at the golden showers. The sparkles were actually Leprechauns. The shamrock morphed into a gigantic Leprechaun doing the jig when the Irish Quidditch team burst through the middle.

"Connolly! Ryan! Troy! Mullet! Moran! Quigley! _Aaaaaaand_ – Lynch!"

The crowd supporting the Irish hooted and hollered and screamed their lungs out for their team. They were cut off by about a hundred of beautiful women gliding out onto the field. These were veela; women with skin of milky white and flowing golden hair. The veela started to dance, which, I must say, bored the hell out of me. They sped up the pace, putting the men into a trance. Ron's face looked blissfully blank. I looked to Fred and saw that he seemed to be drooling. I don't know what came over me. I smacked Fred's arm rather hard just as the veela stopped dancing.

"Wha –"

"You looked like you were going to dive over the railing," I narrowed my eyes at the older red-head. Next to him, George looked like he too was going to kill himself just to touch a veela.

Fred looked at me as he rubbed the arm I smacked. He gave me a half-smile, "I wouldn't kill myself over a veela, Cory. There's a beau –" Whatever Fred was going to say next was drowned out by the angry yells of the spectators. The crowd (the wizards mostly) didn't want to veela to go.

"Dimitrov! Ivanova! Zograf! Levski! Vulchanov! _Aaaaaaand_ – Krum!"

One of the players appeared on the big screen below. The Bulgarian crowd began to chant 'Krum' with much vigor. Krum waved to the crowd, not once did the screen show him smile. He moved on to his position as the voice of the Minister filled the stadium, greeting everyone to the 422nd Quidditch World Cup. With a wave of his wand, a golden ball of light flitted into the night sky. The Snitch had been released. The ref blew his whistle, the players moved into position as he released the two Bludgers. He quickly grabbed the Quaffle and tossed it high up in the air. The game had begun.

It was Quidditch as I had never seen it played before. My new Omnioculars were pressed so tightly to my eyes I was sure they'd pop out from the pressure. The speed of the players was crazy fast; I lost where the Quaffle was more than once. I had to spin the slow dial on my Omnioculars and press the play-by-play button so I could watch better. Purple letters glittered across the lenses and the teams did their plays. The Irish did something called the Hawkshead Attacking Formation and the Porskoff Ploy. Suddenly the announcer's voice rang out that Ireland scored. I lowered the Omnioculars in confusion. Then it hit me. I forgot to un-press play-by-play and spin the dial to normal.

Within ten minutes, Ireland scored twice more. The match became faster and more brutal too. The two Seekers pummeled through the Chasers as they chased the Snitch. The whole stadium seemed to gasp in sync. I held my breath as I watched the two…it looked as if they were going to crash. At the last second, Krum pulled off and Lynch hit the ground with a thud that echoed through the stadium. There was a time-out as mediwizards rushed on the field.

"It's okay. He'll be fine," Fred placed his hand on my shoulder to reassure me.

I pulled my Omnioculars back up to my face as I studied Krum. He was circling high above Lynch, his dark eyes darted all over the ground. A weird cross between a huff and laugh erupted from my lips, making Fred look at me questioningly. I handed him the device, turning his head in the direction of Krum.

"Look at him. He's using this time to look for the Snitch without interference."

Fred let out a hearty laugh, "Can't blame him."

After fifteen more minutes, Ireland put in ten more goals. The Irish led 130 to 10 and the game just got dirtier. Whatever happened went by so fast, the only reason I knew something was wrong was when one side booed the other in screams of rage. After an hour of brutal beatings, another time-out was called. An Ireland Beater hit Krum in the nose, breaking it, making blood gush all over. Lynch suddenly took off in a dive, having seen the Snitch. A wave of green stood on edge, cheering their Seeker on…but Krum was not too far behind him. The two were neck and neck for the second time. And for the second time Lynch hit the ground as Krum pulled up.

"He's caught the Snitch," Harry shrieked. "Krum's got it! It's over!"

Krum's robes were shining red with blood from his nose. He raised his fist high, a glint of gold clutched in his hand. The scoreboard flashed Red for a moment and then lit up green: Bulgaria 160, Ireland 170. It took a second or so for the score to sink in. Then, slowly, the rumbling from the Ireland supporters grew louder and louder and became screams of delight. Krum caught the Snitch but Ireland won. I was not expecting that. I don't think anybody was.

Suddenly I was picked up and my cheek was pressed against a warm face. "We won! We won, we won, WE WON," Fred shouted in my ear.

"I know," I shouted back. "I can't believe it!"

Fred put me down, laughing. He placed his hand on my cheek and rubbed his thumb gently across. I was confused for a second before I noticed the smeared greasepaint from where my cheek was on his face. Fred smiled, "You've got a little something…"

George yanked his twin around, grinning ear to ear, "WE WON! Freddy we're rich men!"

Arthur tugged on George's sweater, making him turn around. Papa Weasley wanted to get out of the stadium ASAP. We had a long climb down and it would only be made longer because of the Ireland fans. I didn't care how long it took us to leave. I couldn't remember when I'd ever had so much fun before. The 422nd Quidditch World Cup was absolutely a night to remember.


	8. Mayhem

_**Mrs. 11th: **_**I'm sure we all know boys like John haha**

_**thecompletebookworm:**_** I'm glad you love my little Fred/Cora moments. Building up to the actual romance is the best part. I'd love to hear what you think will happen during the Battle…I'm just curious like that hehe.**

_**Chapter 8: Mayhem**_

Boisterous singing filled the night sky as we followed the lanterns back to our part of camp. Leprechauns kept shooting overhead, cackling and dancing. When we finally reached the tent, no one felt like sleeping. Arthur let us all have one last cup of cocoa before we had to go to bed. He went outside to celebrate with friends and wait for his older sons while the rest of us stayed in. Hermione took her cocoa and hopped on one of the beds, taking out a book to read. The sounds of singing and fireworks could still be heard outside. Inside, Harry and Ron got into an argument concerning the playing tactics of Lynch and Krum.

"There's no one like Krum," Ron growled at Harry as he jumped up on the couch. "He's like a bird the way he rides the wind. He's more than an athlete, he's an artist!"

The twins began babbling in a sort of comical mocking way. They flapped their arms, circling around Ron, muttering, "Krum. Krum. Kruuuuuum."

Ginny passed her brothers on her way to our bunk. She smiled, placing her hand on Ron's, "Think you're in love, Ron?"

The twins enclosed on their younger brother. They sang, "Viktor I love you! Viktor I do…"

Harry and I joined, singing rather off key, "…when we're apart my heart beats only for you!"

Ron swat at us playfully. Just then, a rather odd banging sounded in the distance. The singing had stopped after that. "Sounds like the Irish have got their pride on," Fred chuckled.

"That's not the Irish," Arthur burst through the tent flap. He looked frantic. "We need to leave. Now!"

I grabbed my coat from the arm of the couch as the others fled through the flap. In place of singing were screams and the sound of running. Outside was a crazy, scary mess. People were running every which way, trying to get away from something moving across the field. The mass was rapidly approaching and emitting flashes of light. Bursts of red, white, and green lit up the surrounding area.

Arthur told us to stay together and get back to the portkey as fast as we could. He also told Fred and George that Ginny was their responsibility as he dashed off to help his fellow Ministry workers. The twins and Ginny took off instantly. Hermione grasped my hand as she pulled me behind Ron. I hardly heard myself scream as a tent next to me suddenly went up in scorching flames. Hermione's hand slipped from mine and she yelled my name as she and Ron were pushed forward with the crowd.

That's when I saw them. The mass was a crowd of wizards, tightly packed and moving together. The lights came from their wands, illuminating the masks on their faces. Above them, floating in midair, were four Muggles. They struggled, contorting into grotesque shapes. Two of the floating figures were very small. They were just young children. I ran.

People were rushing all over as I squeezed my way through crowds. Tents fell and fires blazed as the screams got louder. I began pushing my way through people as I shouted the names of my friends. I was so scared. I was afraid for them. Not once did it ever occur to me what would happen to _me_; my main concerns were the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione. I looked behind my shoulder for just a second and I was on the ground in another.

"Fuck," I grunted as I felt pain burn my knees.

"Language, Black," said a drawling voice from in front of me. My head snapped up. Draco Malfoy was standing alone near a water pump, looking completely relaxed. His arms were folded; he seemed to have been watching from a patch of undisturbed tents. Draco's wand was drawn and his eyes glittered. His smirk unnerved me. "Hadn't you better be hurrying along, now? You wouldn't want to be spotted, would you?"

At that same moment, a blast like a bomb sounded in the distance just lighting up our area. I ignored the slimeball and got to my feet, looking for my fallen wand. "Have you seen –?"

"This…" Draco stretched out his other hand. My 11-inch ash wand was clutched in his pale palm.

I glared at my cousin, "Give it back or I'll hit that smug little mouth of yours."

"Oh, I'm so scared," he smirked again. That stupid look on his face was seriously pissing me off. There came a loud bang which was closer to us than before. I jumped, staring in the direction of the noise with wide eyes. "Scare easily, don't you? I suppose Weasel-bee's daddy told you to run? What's he up to – trying to rescue Muggles?"

"Where's _your_ daddy," I asked, temper rising. "Out there wearing a mask and killing people, is he?"

Draco sneered as he walked towards me. I slowly raised my fist in case he tried anything. My grey eyes never left his blue ones as we stared each other down. Just before he passed me, my wand connected with my unclenched hand. I grasped it and tried to pull away, but Draco's grip held. I shuddered when his lips came in close contact to my right ear.

"I'd watch my back if I were you," he hissed.

"Cora! Cora where are you," someone shouted my name in the distance. When I looked around, I noticed I was standing alone. Draco must have run off when he heard my name being called.

The person calling me sounded closer. I lit my wand and replied, "Over here!"

Two people burst through the tents, wands lit. Ron and Hermione relaxed a little when they saw me. Hermione reached me first, pulling me into her arms. When she let go I caught Ron's gaze. He nodded and looked to the row of destroyed tents behind me. Hermione fussed over my ripped pants and my scraped knees as Ron shouted out for Harry.

"You lost him," I shouted at Ron incredulously.

"Yeah, well, we lost you too," he snapped back.

"Well I'm not Harry," I said through clenched teeth.

Suddenly, a figure sped towards us. By the light of our wands, we were able to make the person out. It was Harry. Ron sighed, "Been looking for you for ages."

"I was –" Harry looked up in an attempt to catch his breath. "What is that?!"

Something big and green glittered in the sky above us. For a split second, I thought it was another Leprechaun. Then I noticed it was a colossal skull made up of what looked like green stars with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue. It seemed to be moving in a haze of grey-green smoke. Harry winced in pain as he rubbed his scar. Hermione and I shared a similar frightened look.

The four of us knew it was time to leave. We had hardly taken a few steps when a series of popping noises announced the arrival of wizards and witches, appearing from thin air. They surrounded us. Only one thought crossed my mind: why are their wands pointed at us?

"DUCK," Harry yelled.

The four of us hit the ground as all of the voices rang out at once. A series of flashes whipped my hair against my face as if a strong gust of wind swept the clearing. I cracked open my eyes a little to see jets of scarlet lights flying above us. Each witch and wizard had been casting the stunning spell above us.

"STOP," a voice I knew well shouted. "That's my son!" When my hair stopped blowing I opened my eyes fully and cautiously raised my head. The group surrounding us lowered their wands. Arthur was running towards us, out of breath, flushed, and looking terrified. "Ron – Harry – Hermione – Cora, are you alright?"

"Which of you conjured this," a cold, curt voice asked us. It was Barty Crouch.

"You can't possibly –"

Crouch cut Arthur off, "Don't lie. You have been discovered at the scene of a crime!"

"Crime," Harry frowned.

"Barty, they're just kids," Arthur tried to explain.

"What crime," Harry asked again.

"That's the Dark Mark, Harry," I whispered as I looked up again. "That's _His_ mark."

"You," Crouch's wand was now pointed directly at me. His eyes were wide making him look like a lunatic. "You are the daughter of mass murderer Sirius Black! How else would you know what–?"

"Barty," Arthur barked louder. "That has nothing to do with this, you know that."

"Wait, so those people tonight, in the masks…" Harry was staring at Crouch now. "…they're his too, aren't they? Those are his followers?"

"Follow me," Crouch said to the others. They were about to take off when Harry spoke again.

"There was a man. Before. Over there."

"All of you, this way," Crouch and the hoard of Ministry workers took off in the direction Harry had pointed in.

After they were gone, Arthur looked at Harry in concern, "Who was it?"

"I dunno," he whispered, staring at the Dark Mark in the sky. "I didn't see his face."


	9. On the Hogwarts Express

A/N: So thanks to _**Mrs. 11th**_ (I hate Crouch too) for being the only reviewer of the last chapter. I know I take a while to upload but I have college. That has to come first. Fair warning: this chapter may see lame because it's a filler…but there's Fred/Cora –y goodness.

_**Chapter 9: On the Hogwarts Express**_

The end of summer was pretty gloomy figuratively and literally. Heavy rain coated Ginny's window as I woke the two girls I shared a room with. Hermione, Ginny and I changed in silence; the events of the last few days still reeling in our minds. When we reached the kitchen, the boys were already seated and eating. Molly prepared three plates and let us eat while she busied herself. Arthur had taken off earlier; Bill mentioned something about magical dustpans so I didn't bother with asking anything else.

While Bill and Charlie came with us to King's Cross, Percy made up some stupid excuse not to be there. Oh well, I was pretty much done trying to be nice to him anyway. Molly called up three Muggle taxis to take us to London. The journey was very uncomfortable. I did not like being squished in the back of a car with Harry, Ron, Hermione, our pets, and our luggage. Even though we got soaking wet as we made our way across the station, I was glad to be out of the taxi. Don't get me wrong, I love my three friends…I just have space issues. Today there seemed to be more Muggles' at King's Cross than I had ever seen so Molly made us go through the barrier in groups of three. I got stuck in the middle of Fred and George. Talk about awkward. We leaned against the barrier casually, then slid sideways onto our platform.

As soon as The Hogwarts Express came into view, I said my goodbyes to the twins as I waited for the trio. I helped Hermione with her abomination of a cat as she walked through with Ron and Harry trailing behind her. The four of us went off to find a compartment on the already crowded train. There were some open spots near the front of the train so we placed our luggage and animals in it. Then we hoped back onto the platform to say goodbye to Molly, Charlie, and Bill.

"I might be seeing you all sooner than you think," Charlie grinned. We all looked at him with curious expressions, but Charlie kept his mouth shut after that.

The whistle blew and Molly pushed us to the train. Hermione and I thanked her for having us stay over. We boarded the train, headed to our compartment, and pushed the window down so we could talk to her more. Harry, Hermione and I thanked her again for having us over. Molly smiled and told us to stay at school for Christmas break. This confused me because Molly would never turn us away…ever. _What is going on?_ Harry was about to ask Molly something, but she turned and left with the others. _Really? What the hell?!_

The rain refused to stop as we went back to our compartment. Ron opened his trunk, grabbing his Gryffindor cloak for extra warmth. As the train moved onwards, the rain got darker and heavier. The lunch trolley came rolling down the corridor just as Hermione and I finished a game of checkers. The trolley lady's head popped in our compartment as she asked us if we wanted anything. As always, Ron got up first. Harry and I followed him out of our compartment.

"Packet of drewbals and a liquorish wand," as Ron took his money out of his pocket, his face fell. "On second thought, just the drewbals."

"It's alright," Harry spoke up, passing me. "I'll get it."

"Thanks, mate," the tips of Ron's ears were red as he went back. If there was one thing I knew about Ron it was that he was sensitive when it came to money.

I grabbed some money from my own pocket. Before I could ask for a chocolate frog and a cauldron cake, someone beat me to it. "Two pumpkin pasties please."

Harry and I looked up to see Cho Chang. She nodded at me and then looked right into Harry's eyes and smiled. Smiling back at her, Harry seemed to be in a daze. The trolley lady had asked him what he wanted twice and Cho left before that. I nudged my friend in the side.

"Anything sweet for you, dear," the trolley lady asked.

"Oh, no thanks. I'm not hungry," Harry told her. I was going to ask for my sweets when I was dragged back into the compartment.

I sighed exasperatedly. My three friends did their own thing as I complained about not having anything to eat. I blamed Harry for dragging me away from food, Cho for distracting Harry, the trolley lady for being the trolley lady, and Ron for having food. Either out of the goodness of his heart or annoyance, I had no idea, Ron handed me a drewbal. I popped it in my mouth, fully satisfied with myself.

Hermione set down the paper she was reading, a look of concern passed over her face, "This is horrible, how can the Ministry not know who conjured it? Isn't there any security or…?"

"Loads according to Dad," Ron managed to say with a mouthful of drewbals. "That's what worried them so much. Happened right under their noses."

Harry was looking out the window, rubbing his scar. Ron, Hermione, and I shared a look. "It's hurting again, isn't it? Your scar," Hermione asked.

Harry sighed, telling us he was fine. I rolled my eyes, "You know…Dad will want to hear about this. What you saw at the World Cup…the dream…"

Harry sighed again but didn't answer. As the hours passed, several of our friends popped in to say hello. Seamus Finnegan was still wearing his Irish rosette when he stopped by. Some of the magic was wearing off. It was squeaking the players' names instead of yelling them. We talked Quidditch for about a half an hour before Hermione got tired of us and buried her nose in The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4. Neville, who joined us just after Seamus, was jealous that we went to the match. Apparently his Gran didn't want to go so Neville couldn't go. Ron showed our clumsy friend his souvenirs, making him more envious.

When Hermione and I went to the bathroom to change, we ran into George. He was just about to set off some kind of prank item into an unsuspecting Slytherin compartment. Hermione huffed, muttering something about decency towards fellow students, then walked off into the bathroom alone. I watched in amusement as our rivals squealed and ran out of the compartment, coughing and shielding their eyes from the thick yellow smoke.

"Enjoying the show," a voice from behind made me jump. Fred was smiling at me as I let out a deep breath.

"Don't do that."

"Do what," he asked innocently. "I didn't do anything."

I smirked, "Whatever, Freddy."

"Freddy? Really, that's the best you could come up with?"

"Well I hadn't planned on giving you a nickname," I told the twin as I tried to maneuver around him. "Do you want one?"

Fred stuck his arm out, blocking me from leaving. My chest hit his arm and I took a step back. I narrowed my eyes at him, placing my hands on my hips. "Move, _Freddy_. I need to change," Fred gave me an unreadable look. I tried to lift his arm up but it wouldn't budge. When I tried to go under it, he blocked me with his hip. "Freeeeed moooove. I need to change."

Fred placed his other hand on the wall, trapping me. My chest heaved more than it normally would. I looked up at my friend, his eyes shining. There was something about him; his warm brown eyes, his long ginger hair that fanned out, or maybe it was the thought of being trapped by his Quidditch arms and toned chest. Fred's head dipped lower, my head instinctually turned to the side. "I like you just the way you are."

I was about to say something when, yet again, another voice took my own, "Fred? Cora? What are you doing?"

Fred and I looked to our left to see Ginny and Hermione staring at us with an open mouth and wide eyes. I felt like groaning in annoyance (I also felt like grabbing Fred by the back of his head and kissing the living daylights out of him) but I held it back. To my confusion, Fred smiled at his little sister and my best friend.

"I was just telling Cory here about my new prank idea for Snape, wasn't I?"

"Yeah, yeah he was," I said a little too fast. Why the hell was I covering for him? I lightly pushed Fred away from me (more like across to the other wall) and chuckled. "And I agree. I like the idea of Snape's hair bubblegum pink."

"What," Ginny looked at Fred incredulously. "That's a stupid idea."

"Uh yeah, you know what, I actually agree with Ginny," I sputtered, backing away down the corridor. "Now I'm just – well I gotta go."

With that I dashed down in the direction of my compartment. When I reached it, I slid the door open and slammed it shut. I was still facing the corridor as I tried to catch my breath. When I turned around, Harry was staring at me and Ron looked like he was going to bust some heads or whatever. I asked Harry what was up with Ron, but Ron's evil eye stopped me. When Hermione entered the compartment, I couldn't look at her. I was too embarrassed.

When the Hogwarts Express slowed down, the rain was worse than ever. It was so dark at the Hogsmeade station that I literally had to hold on to Harry's shoulder so I wouldn't get lost. The four of us raised our hoods as we hurried out of the train and into the downpour. As we ran to the carriages, a gigantic silhouette stood at the end of the platform. Hagrid had two lit up cone thingies that were found at airports. Just as we climbed into a dry carriage, Harry and I looked out the window to see four huge horses flying through the air. Trailing behind was an even larger carriage that came to a nice landing thanks to Hagrid.

"Now that's something you don't see every day," Harry smiled. With a great lurch, the carriage began rolling up the hill, taking us to yet another year at Hogwarts.


	10. So It Begins

**Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape:**** I wear the rubber band at all times…except when I think some Fred/Cora fluff is needed…**

**thecompletebookworm:**** Thanks for the uplifting review. Just what I needed to write this chapter lol**

_**Chapter 10: So It Begins**_

Getting out of the carriage was not fun. The steps were uneven, the ground was muddy, and the stone steps were slippery with both mud and water. Despite the danger of slipping and being trampled, the four of us dashed up the steps and into the dry warmth of the castle. We came to a stop in the entrance hall, surrounded by our fellow soaked-to-the-bone students. Ron shook his head, spraying me with more water. Professor McGonagall walked out of the Great Hall just then. She skidded on the wet floor and grabbed Hermione to stop herself from falling.

"Oh – sorry Miss Granger…"

"That's alright, professor," she mumbled as she rubbed her shoulder.

McGonagall collected herself and directed us all into the Great Hall. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and I allowed ourselves to be herded through the double doors. Next to me, Ron was muttering furiously about being cold and wet and miserable. I grunted, agreeing with him, as I pushed my limp curls out of my face. The Great Hall was surely a welcome sight with its start-of-term decorations. The golden plates and goblets glittered from the hundreds of floating candles. All four House tables were filling up as students greeted each other and took their seats. Facing us was the long staff table, every seat except four were taken. Because of the candles and roaring fire in the back, it was much warmer. The four of us passed the other three tables so to sit at our own with our own friends. Once seated, Harry was approached by Colin Creevey. While they started a conversation, I stared up at the enchanted ceiling. It was enchanted to look like the sky outside, and I had never seen it so stormy. The clouds were black and dark purple, swirling madly and every time thunder sounded outside, lightning flashed across the ceiling.

Once everyone was seated, the first years were led through the double doors by McGonagall. My heart went out to the poor eleven-year-olds. They looked like they had swam across the lake and all of them were shivering from either the cold or nerves or both. Like always, they came to a halt just in front of the staff table where the Sorting Hat rested on its stool. All eyes were on the old, dirty, patched up, moth eaten hat. Then a long tear on the brim opened and broke into song.

Ten minutes later, I joined in on the applause as the Sorting Hat finished. As tradition, McGonagall unrolled a long piece of parchment that had the first years' names on it. A boy named Ackerley went first and was sorted into Ravenclaw. While everyone watched him join his new Housemates, Harry's eyes fell on Cho Chang. I rolled my eyes at him. Sure, Cho and I were somewhat friends, but I thought she was too superficial for my best friend. Cho was the type of girl who went for the tall, handsome, and older boys; Harry was short-ish, good looking, and young. Honestly, he didn't have a chance…but I wasn't going to tell him that. During the C group, Dennis Creevey was sorted into Gryffindor. By the last name I guessed he was Collin's brother. How cute.

The sorting went on as one frightened face after another sat on the stool. Ron, who was sitting across from me, started becoming agitated because he was hungry. He tapped his fingers, bounced his knee, he even kicked me in the shin one or twice. Finally, after the last boy was sorted, McGonagall picked up the hat and stool, carrying them off. Ron's smile stretched across his entire face as he readied his knife and fork to dig in. Dumbledore got to his feet, smiling widely at the entire hall. His arms were spread open in welcome.

"Now that we're all settled and sorted, I'd like to make an announcement. This castle will not only be your home this year but home to some very special guests as well. You see, Hogwarts has been chosen to –" from the end of the hall, Filch ran up the aisle, clutching his cat and limping in a sort of comical way. He whispered something to our Headmaster and ran out the same way he came in. "So, Hogwarts has been chosen to host a legendary event. The Triwizard Tournament. Now for those of you who do not know, the Triwizard Tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests."

I leaned over to Ron and smiled, "That's why Charlie said he'll be seeing us soon."

"Now let me be clear, if chosen you stand alone. And trust me when I say these contests are not for the faint hearted, but more of that later," there were some murmurs around the hall. "Now join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and their Headmistress Madam Maxime."

The doors burst open, revealing about a dozen girls who looked in their late teens. The girls were dressed in blue silk and caps. They danced up the aisle, releasing butterflies into the air as they sighed. The male population of our school watched in extreme fascination as they danced to the front to greet Dumbledore. My face burned red as I saw Fred lean back, watching the girls' butts as they passed him and George.

"Blimey, that's one big woman," I heard Seamus mutter.

Seamus was right. The woman who followed the beautiful girls was HUGE. She must have been taller than Hagrid. The woman (Madam Maxime I guessed) had an olive-toned face; large, black eyes; and a beaky nose. Her dark hair was styled in a bob cut and she wore expensive looking black satin. Many gleaming jewels adorned her neck and fingers. This woman was the complete opposite of her students; they were young and beautiful with long light hair and light eyes.

The hall burst into applause as they reached the staff table. Dumbledore took Madam Maxime's thick hand, leading her to a seat at the table as the girls were led to the Ravenclaw table. I chuckled seeing as Ravenclaw's color was blue and those girls were wearing blue. Dumbledore came back to his podium and spoke again, "And now our friends from the north, please greet the proud sons of Durmstrang and the High Master, Igor Karkaroff!"

Once again, the doors burst open. A series of older boys swiftly walked up the aisle. They each carried a bo staff which they twirled around and periodically stabbed into the ground with a spark effect. The older boys seemed to be built up like Crabbe and Goyle…just with more muscle and less fat. I was mystified by the sharp edges in their faces and the mysterious looks in their eyes as they passed us. Like the boys before them, the Hogwarts girls leaned out of their seats or stood to get a better glimpse of these foreign wonders.

Two other boys and an older man followed behind. This time, everyone stared. "Blimey, it's him," Ron gasped. "It's Viktor Krum!"

Up front, a boy had taken out his wand. He knelt with one knee on the ground and let out a puff on the tip of the wand. A large dragon-like flame jumped out, roaring and warming the entire room. The hall, even the Beauxbaton girls, burst into applause. The older man with the sleek black hair embraced our Headmaster, giving him a mix between a sneer and a smile. I did not like the look of him…but who was I to judge. The older man was also led up to the staff table as the boys were taken to the Slytherin table.

From his seat, Dumbledore clapped his hands together, "Tuck in!"

Suddenly, the empty dishes magically filled. The shocked and awed gasps from the first years and foreign students made me smile. From behind Ron, Nearly Headless Nick slid by, staring mournfully at the roast chicken and mashed potatoes Ron had placed on his full plate. Ron stuffed his mouth full of peas and potatoes and then sighed. Harry asked Nick what was wrong and I tuned the conversation out. I looked down the table to see where Fred was laughing with George and Lee Jordan. I had just brought a forkful of chicken to my mouth when Fred looked down the table and right at me. Our eyes met and he smiled at me. I dropped my fork so I could send a small wave back. I didn't stop looking at him until there was a clanging noise next to me.

Hermione had knocked over her goblet of pumpkin juice. It started spreading steadily over the tablecloth, turning white into orange. My friend didn't mind, her face was frozen in terror as she looked at Sir Nick.

"There are house-elves here," she said in a half whisper. "Here at Hogwarts?"

Sir Nick nodded. He told her that Hogwarts had the largest number of house-elves in Britain. They hardly ever left the kitchen in the day time, only coming out at night to clean and stoke fires and what not. The mark of a good house-elf was to never be seen. Hermione had a fit. She began asking our resident ghost all kinds of ridiculous questions about the house-elves. She pushed her plate away, saying she would not eat anything done by 'slave labor'.

The rain was still beating against the high stained-glass as dinner went on. The remains of the first course disappeared and were replaced by mountains of puddings, ice cream, and cookies. Ron waved a treacle tart under Hermione's nose, trying to get her to eat it. He gave up when she threw him a look that'd make Professor McGonagall proud. When the deserts had been demolished, the plates vanished, leaving only full goblets of warm pumpkin juice and hot cocoa. The chattering went on as Dumbledore rose from his seat.

"Your attention please," his voice boomed over all others. The Hall went silent. The corners of his mouth twitched. "I would like to say a few words. First, it pains me to say that the Inner-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year." There were moans of protest from the players of the Houses. But our Headmaster continued, "Eternal glory and a thousand Galleon prize await the student who wins the Triwizard Tournament. But to do this that student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks."

"Wicked," Ron muttered.

"For this reason, the Ministry has seen fit to impose a new rule. To explain all this we have the head of the Department of International Magic Cooperation, Mister Bartimus Crouch."

As Barty Crouch stepped nest to Dumbledore, thunder roared overhead louder than before. Real rain suddenly fell from the ceiling as people screamed in shock. From the back of the Hall, a man cast a spell, aiming for the roof, and the rain stopped. Those who were shouting went silent as everyone stared at the newcomer. He lowered his hood, revealing shoulder length dirty blonde hair. His face looked like it had been carved up at one point. At the corner of his mouth was a long thin scar which made the man look like the Joker from Batman. He had a small, beady eye and the other was large and circular (kind of like an eye patch) and bright blue. The blue eye swirled around as he limped his way to the staff table, his long staff clunking with each step.

"Bloody hell," Ron whispered as the man passed us. "It's Mad-Eye Moody."

"Alastor Moody? The aura," Hermione asked curiously.

"He was a catcher," Ron explained to us and those around us. "Half the cells in Azkaban are full thanks to him. He's supposed to be mad as a hatter though these days."

Dumbledore took Moody's hand, most likely welcoming him. Moody rolled his good eye and muttered something no one could hear. He turned away from Dumbledore, taking out a flask. With his meaty thumb he popped open the stopper and drank greedily.

"What's that he's drinking do you suppose," someone asked.

"I dunno, but I don't think its pumpkin juice," Harry said, his eyes locked on Moody.

Crouch took this time to speak, "After much deliberation, the Ministry has concluded that, for their own safety, no student under the age of seventeen shall be allowed to put forth their name for the Triwizard Tournament."

The crowd became unsettled. People were booing and yelling about what crap that was. Over the noises that filled the Hall, I heard George shouting, "That's rubbish! You don't know what you're doing!"

Crouch tapped his wand over a box which melted on spot. In place of the box stood a magnificently large golden goblet containing a blue flame. A moment of anger was replaced by a moment of pure fascination.

"The Goblet of Fire," Dumbledore said. "Anyone wishing to submit themselves for the tournament merely write their name upon a piece of parchment and throw it in the flame before this hour Thursday night. Do not do so lightly, if chosen there's no turning back. As from this moment, the Triwizard Tournament has begun."


	11. Unforgivable

**Mrs. 11th:****Totally agree on where you stand with Cho. Never liked her. Thanks for the review.**

**Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape:**** I'm sorry, I'm sorry…I can't help it…trust me though you'll be happy with the final outcome.**

_**Chapter 11: Unforgivable**_

The next morning the storm had blown over. The ceiling in the Great Hall was still dark and gloomy but not as bad as it had been last night. At breakfast Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I examined our schedules. Like my entire fellow fourth years I had to take the core classes; Potions, Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, History of Magic, Astronomy, and Charms. My electives were Muggle Art, Care of Magical Creatures, and Music. To top that off we'd be getting a heavier work load to prepare for our O.W.L.s next year. _Yippee…_

On that Monday we had Herbology with the Hufflepuffs, Care of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins, and I had double Muggle Art with all the fourth year Houses. In Herbology we had to collect pus from Bubotubers. Absolutely revolting. After that we traveled down to Hagrid's hut for our next class. We worked with shell-less lobster looking things called Blast-Ended Skrewts. Of course the Slytherins were little shits – especially Draco – all period long. Lunchtime came around and I was happy to fill myself with lamb chops and potatoes. Hermione surprised us by shoveling food in her mouth at the speed of light.

"I just –" she gulped down bits of lamb. "I just want to get to the library."

"What," Ron asked incredulously. "It's the first day back! We haven't even got homework yet!"

Hermione shrugged and continued to inhale her food as though she hadn't eaten in days. Suddenly, Hermione jumped to her feet and dashed out the Hall doors at a dangerous speed. When the bell tolled to signal the start of afternoon lessons, I left my two friends and headed for the Art tower. The professor was a thin woman with a nose un-proportional to her face. Seriously, it could give Snape's a run for its money. She was draped in maroon chiffons that were way too big for her body and her hair looked stringy and uncared for. Professor Mlynowski was like the female version of Snape. She was just nicer and louder.

"Welcome to Muggle Art, fourth years," her sweet voice boomed. "Please put away your things. Today we are going to free draw and then analyze your creations." _Oh yeah…this class was going to be fun._

The next few days passed just as any other would. The only thing different was one of the top five things to have ever happened to me. John Haring had stopped bugging me! YES! SCORE! HUZZAH! Oh, and also, every time I saw Fred he'd smile at me. Sure he's been doing that since I met him…but it was different this time. It was like…he wanted to say something but just smiled instead. It was really messing with my head.

Plus, Neville had melted his sixth cauldron in Potions. I was his partner and even I didn't know how he managed to do that. I tried to help him fix it, but Neville must have put in a wrong ingredient. Professor Snape must have reached the Boss Level of meanness over the summer holiday. He gave both Neville _and_ me detentions. Can you believe that!? Neville almost collapsed in nervousness when Snape said we were going to disembowel horned toads. I scowled at the Potions Master as I used the Scouring Charm to remove frog guts from my hair. I believed I was right in guessing that Snape's foul mood was because he didn't get the Defense job. It was obvious he hated our previous Defense teachers but for some reason, Snape didn't show his hatred around Moody. I bet it was because of the magical eye.

Thursday was our first class with said Professor. The classroom we were so used to when Remus taught us was different. It felt darker and full of mystery (but not the good kind). Harry, Ron, and Hermione shared a row while I sat between Neville and Jo. My three friends were sitting across from us and a row back. I took out my copy of _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_ and waited. The room was so quiet; one could've heard a pin drop.

Moody's distinctive clunking steps were soon heard coming down the corridor. When he entered the room, our new Professor looked just as strange and scary as he did the first time I saw him. He hobbled as quickly as he could to the chalkboard at the front of the classroom. He grumbled as he picked up the chalk, writing his name messily.

"Alastor Moody," he gruffly introduced himself. "Ministry malcontent and your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I'm here because Dumbledore asked me, end of story, goodbye, the end! Now, when it comes to the Dark Arts, I believe in the practical approach. But first, which of you can tell me how many Unforgivable Curses are there?"

The class remained silent for a few seconds. We were a little shocked at what he asked. Hermione, however, looked around and without raising her hand she said, "Three, sir."

"And they are so named?"

"Because they are unforgivable. The use of them will –"

"Earn you a one-way ticket to Azkaban. Now the Ministry says you're too young to see what these curses do. I say not," Moody turned to the jars of the windowsill, his back to us. "You need to know what you're up against, you need to be prepared, you need to find somewhere else to put your chewing gum other than the underside of your desk Mr. Finnigan!"

Everyone turned to stare at Seamus who had frozen, a piece of used gum in his hand. "No way, the old codger can see out of the back of his head!"

Moody spun around, throwing the chalk at Seamus's head. "So which shall we see first? WEASLEY," Moody barked.

"Yes…" Ron squeaked, his face going pale.

"Give us a curse," our crazy professor urged my ginger friend.

"Well…my dad did tell me about one…the Imperious Curse."

"Ah, yes. Your father would know all about that. Gave the Ministry grief quite a few years ago. Perhaps, this will show you why."

Moody thumped over to his desk, which also had various jars on it. I craned my neck to see him gently lift the lid off of a jar with something black moving around inside it. He cooed as he held it in his hand lovingly. I looked at Ron as Moody turned around, a big spider in his hand. Ron recoiled in his seat. He hated spiders. Moody took out his wand, pointing it at the spider.

"_Engorgio_," the spider suddenly enlarged. My eyes widened as flashes of Aragog's children danced before my eyes. "_Imperio_!

The spider leapt from Moody's hand and danced around the classroom like a trapeze artist. Its legs stretched out menacingly. Noticing how unsettled we were, Moody told us the spider was harmless. Unfortunately, he joked about how lethal the spider's bite was. Draco began laughing and Moody sent the spider hurdling towards his face.

Everyone laughed except for Crabbe and Goyle, who were swatting at the spider, trying to get it off Draco's face. Moody chuckled too, "Talented isn't she? What shall I have her do next? Jump out the window? Drown herself?"

Moody flung the spider at the window, making me wince. It was when he had it dangling above a bucket of water when I turned away in disgust. It wasn't funny anymore. No one was laughing and the class went silent.

"Scores of witches and wizards claim that they only did You-Know-Who's bidding under the Imperious Curse. But here's the rub, how do we sort out the liars? Some job for the Ministry, trying to sort out who was being forced to act and who was acting on their own free will. The Imperious Curse can be fought, and I'll be teaching you how. It takes strength. Avoid it when you can because not everyone can fight it. CONSTANT VIGILANCE," he barked. I jumped. Suddenly, his demeanor changed from serious back to playful. "Another curse. Come on, come on, class. Longbottom. Up."

Neville's eyes widened. He looked at me and I gave him a weak smile of encouragement. Moody told Neville that Professor Sprout told him that Neville was talented in Herbology. To everyone's surprise Neville's voice pierced the silence, "There's the – the Cruciatus Curse…"

"Correct! Correct! Yes, yes…particularly nasty. The torture curse," Moody placed the spider in front of Neville. "_Crucio_!"

Suddenly, the spider's legs bent at horrible angles. It rolled over and twitched horribly, rocking back and forth. Where others couldn't hear the scream…Neville and I could. High pitched and pleading. Moody's face had a darkened as he stared at the spider. The arachnid shuddered and jerked more and more violently. Tears welled up in my eyes, I wanted to look away but I felt as though I couldn't. My fingers clutched the edged of my chair, rubbing raw and beginning to get bloody. If I was to look next to me, Neville's facial expression was horrified and his knuckled were white in his lap.

"STOP IT," a voice cried out. "Can't you see it's bothering them!? Stop it!"

Moody finally stopped the torture. The spider's legs fell to the table, unmoving. It was still alive, but only just. Without any regard for me or Neville, Moody lifted the spider, carrying it away. I stared at the blackboard as Moody asked Hermione for the last curse. The voices mixed together as I stared at the blackboard, not really seeing. My heart was beating a mile a minute as I tried to compose myself.

"_Avada Kedavra_!"

Out of the corner of my eye I could see the flash of blinding green light and hear the rushing sound. Several of the students, male and female alike, gasped in horror. The bell rang. I gathered my things and ran at top speed out of the room, making everyone stare. I didn't care. I had to get out of that classroom. As I pushed passed the crowds of students on the staircases I felt the hot tears rolling down my face. When I got to the common room, I locked myself in the dorm, not letting anybody in. I did not talk to anyone else that day. I did not do my homework and I certainly did not go to dinner.


	12. Champions

_**Chapter 12: Champions**_

Friday had come and gone. Saturday, however, seemed to drag on forever. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were still trying to get me to open up about Moody's class. I had no intention of telling them why I left so quickly and changed the subject every time they talked about it. Moody's class went from something to look forward to, to something I dreaded…and I only had it once.

That morning, I had been sitting outside reading with Hermione when the sun disappeared behind dark clouds. We were lucky enough to head into the Great Hall before the downpour began. She led me to a bench where we sat and watched some older students place their name in the Goblet. Each time, the blue flame roared, accepting the name entered. We applauded softly for each student as they walked away, their heads held a bit higher than before.

My attention went back down to my book until a loud commotion regained my attention. Running in, soaking wet, was Cedric and his friends. They patted his back and urged him forward as he approached the Goblet. The golden line shimmered as he entered and placed his name in the Goblet. Blue flames erupted in acceptance and Cedric, his friends, and the Hogwarts spectators erupted in loud cheers. They all had run out of the Great Hall when Harry and Ron approached.

"Has anyone besides him put their name in," Ron asked.

"A few of the Durmstrang boys and two or three Beauxbatons girls," I replied as I went back to my book. Aside from Cedric, only a Slytherin boy approach the Goblet.

From behind us, the crowd cheered loudly. The four of us turned to see Fred and George running up, clutching vials of clear liquid. George cheered with them, "Thank you, thank you. Well lads, we've done it."

"Cooked it up just this morning," Fred added as they addresses both Harry and Ron.

"It's not going to work," Hermione told the two in a sing-song voice.

The twins shared a look. They both crouched down to Hermione's level with fake interest written all over their faces. Fred placed his arm on top of my head. I swatted it away playfully. "Oh yeah? And why is that, Granger?"

"You see this," Hermione traced the golden line in the air with her finger. "This is an age line. Dumbledore drew it up himself."

"So," Fred asked, looking unimpressed.

"So…" she snapped her book shut as she scoffed lightly. "A genius like Dumbledore couldn't possibly be fooled by something pathetically dimwitted such as an age potion."

"That's why it's so brilliant," George smiled widely.

The two moved away from me and an annoyed Hermione to the Goblet. Standing close together, they began shaking their vials. The brothers linked arms as they drank from the other's vial. I have to admit I was quivering with excitement. I watched, fascinated, as they jumped inside the age line. Nothing happened. Harry, Ron, and I joined in the cheering as the two older boys hammed it up for their eager audience. They placed their names in the Goblet and the crowd cheered again as the Goblet roared in acceptance. The two did an adorable victory dance and were all smiles.

Suddenly, there was a loud sizzling sound. The goblet roared as the blue flames shot out and flung them across the room. Forgetting my book, I rushed over with Ron, Harry, and the crowd to see if the Weasley twins were okay. The sound of them landing on the stone floor made me cringe as I pushed my way to the front. When the two recovered, the twins had sprouted identical long grey hair and beards. The whole hall rang with laughter and the boys stared at each other.

"You said…" they gasped collectively. The two rolled around, fighting on the floor. I went to pull the boys apart when the room became silent. I barely caught a glimpse of Victor Krum walking up to the Goblet with his lackey behind him. As he placed his name in the Goblet, he looked to the side and smirked at someone.

I turned back to the two boys on the floor. They had stopped fighting and were now examining their beards. I rolled my eyes good-naturedly. "Alright boys," I said as I tried to heave them up. "Let's get you to Madam Pomfrey."

"I dunno, Cora," George smiled as he stroked his long grey beard. "I kinda like it."

I pushed him towards the door. "Okay sure…if you want to look like Dumbledore for the rest of the day."

With that said, I accompanied the twins to the hospital wing. When we got there, two students were sitting on beds with long grey beards. The twins and I laughed. Seemed like they weren't the only idiots in the school who tried to put their names in the Goblet. Madam Pomfrey shooed me out of the hospital wing the moment she came out of her office. I wished the twins well and went on my way.

As I walked down the corridor, I rounded the corner to see Angelina Johnson walking my way with a shit-eating grin. The tall black girl's eyes lit up when she saw me. Before I could greet her she said, "I just put my name in!"

My eyes widened in disbelief, "No way?!"

"Yes! My birthday was last week!"

"Well congrats to you, girl! I'm glad someone from our house entered. And you deserve it."

"Thank you, Cora. That means a lot," she smiled even wider.

"Well better you than that Slytherin boy," I laughed.

Angelina's nose scrunched up in disgust, "Warrington…we cannot have a Slytherin champion."

"Agreed!"

"Hey so I was on my way to see Alicia and Katie. Want to come along?"

I shrugged, "Sure. I'm sure Harry, Ron, and Hermione will be fine without me."

My older friend smiled as we made our way to the Gryffindor Tower to find her teammates. I spent the rest of my morning and afternoon with the three Chasers, gossiping and talking Quidditch. At half past five it began to grow dark. The three older girls and I decided to go down to the feast. I was sure the hall would be packed since the announcement of the school champions would follow the feast.

When we entered the Great Hall, the giant room was almost full. It was hard, squeezing through all the bodies, but we eventually made it to our table. I parted with the three as I nestled down in between Harry and Seamus. A little ways down I saw Fred and George. They were both clean-shaven and seemed to be taking the disappointment of being rejected rather well.

The whole hall buzzed with nervousness and excitement as the feast dragged on longer than usual. There were impatient looks on everyone's faces as they ignored the food and stared at the Goblet. Finally, after Dumbledore had finished eating, the plates were cleared and the noise level spiked. People stood up in anticipation, making sure they could see over the sea of bodies.

"Sit down please," Dumbledore announced good-naturedly. No one sat and the buzz of excitement hardly died down. "And now, the moment you've all been waiting for…the champions' selection!"

He took out his wand and gave a great sweeping wave. The candles dimmed and now the Goblet of Fire shined brighter than anything in the Great Hall. The whole hall was washed in the fire's bright, blue hue. Now it was quiet. It was the kind of silence where you could quite literally hear a pin drop. The flames in the Goblet suddenly turned red as sparks flew from it. The next moment, a charred piece of parchment shot out and fluttered down to our Headmaster's hand.

"The Durmstrang champion is…Viktor Krum!"

Cheering erupted from the hall. "No surprises there," Ron shouted to me and Harry over the roar.

The Durmstrang boys stamped and made a loud commotion as Krum stood up from the Slytherin table and made his way to the front on the hall. He followed the staff table and disappeared through the door leading to another room. The clapping eventually died down and the Goblet was again the center of attention.

The second parchment fluttered out of the Goblet and Dumbledore caught it delicately. "The Beauxbatons champion…" he announced loudly. "…Fleur Delacour!"

The hall roared again. From the Ravenclaw table I saw a pretty blonde girl rise. She looked like a veela as she gracefully glided passed the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. The disappointed looks from her fellow schoolmates did not go unnoticed by me or my three friends. One of the girls had even resorted to sobbing. Fleur Delacour disappeared behind the same door as Krum and the hall went quiet once more.

Now, we all awaited the name of the Hogwarts champion. I crossed my fingers in hope that Angelina's name was called. For the third time, the Goblet erupted in a flurry of red sparks, the last parchment fluttering down. It seemed as if time itself had slowed down as Dumbledore caught the parchment.

"And the Hogwarts champion…" I held by breath along with the rest of my schoolmates. "…Cedric Diggory!"

Ron cried out in disappointment but no one heard him. The roar from the Hufflepuff table was enough to rupture one's eardrums. Every single one of them was on his or her feet, screaming Cedric's name as he made his way to the door behind the staff table. I eventually stood in respect for my friend and school champion, cheering as loudly as a Hufflepuff. It got to the point where Harry had to pull me down. I still cheered until Dumbledore had to wave his arms sporadically to get us to shut up.

"Excellent," he stopped moving his arms and held them up in place. "We now have our three champions! But in the end only one will go down in history. Only one will hoist this chalice of champions, this vessel of victory that is the Tri-Wizard Cup!"

It was apparent he had more to say but he was cut off by the Goblet going crazy. Red sparks shot out of the Goblet and a long flame shot up high into the air. Another parchment fluttered out and Dumbledore's hand seized it quicker than before. We all watched in anticipation as his eyes widened in what I thought looked like fear. During the long pause, Dumbledore's hands shook as he looked up, searching through the sea of people. Then, he spoke.

"Harry Potter…"


	13. Hurricane Coralynn

**Kurono-Angel: Thanks for the review and yes, I love cliffys (evil laughter). I'm getting a lot of requests for more of Cora's life besides the HP storyline. I have many plans to do that. Those points just haven't happened yet. I can say there will be a Sirius/Cora moment soon.**

**Chuu112: Thank you for saying that. It makes me happy lol.**

**Taffdog19943: Yes, lots of AVPM/AVPS quotes**

**xXRoseScorpiusXx: Thank you for reading all three in a day. That makes me smile. Who Cora ends up with is for me to know and ya'll to wait and see. Although I can say that I have "just friends" plans for her and Cedric. Sorry (eh…not really haha). Like I said before, I have many canon moments…they just haven't happened yet. I am writing a Cora/Sirius moment right now…so yay haha. About the whole Chamber of Secrets thing…I hadn't read a fic where the OC joins Harry so I just did it myself. And any kind of positive criticism is welcome. I don't do flames or whatever the bad stuff is called lol. That will be ignored.**

_**Chapter 13: Hurricane Coralynn**_

I gasped in horror as the hall went deadly quiet. The only sound was Hagrid's insistent no's. Dumbledore's eyes hardened as he kept searching the crowd. "Harry Potter? Harry Potter!"

There was no roaring applause. The hall buzzed with curious, shocked, and even angry murmurs. Many people were standing up to get a good look at Harry. My head swiveled to him. He just sat there looking ashen and numb. He began shaking his head as he looked at me as if I would tell him Dumbledore was joking. Both Ron and Hermione were staring, openmouthed.

"I – I didn't…" he began.

"Harry Potter!"

I placed my hand on Harry's shoulder, pulling at his sweater. "Oh, Harry…" I breathed. Then I pushed him. "Just – just go!"

My shocked friend got to his feet and walked the long gap between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. I watched with sad eyes as the mutterings got louder and meaner.

"He's a cheat," someone shouted.

"He isn't even seventeen yet," another scorned.

As Harry passed through the door behind the staff table, Dumbledore and the other champion Headmaster and Headmistress and Barty Crouch and Moody followed close behind looking dangerously upset. The hall suddenly went into an uproar. Professor McGonagall had to stand up on the staff table to get everyone's attention.

"You will all return to your dormitories," she announced in a stern, booming voice. No one moved. "NOW!"

The shuffling of hundreds of students getting up to leave the Great Hall was unbearable. I quickly pushed my way passed students to keep up with Ron and Hermione who were on the other side of the table. When I managed to catch up, Ron was walking ahead of Hermione. She sent me a worried look.

"That lying prick," Ron fumed when Hermione and I stood on either side of him on the stairs. "Better you than me…bloody lying prick!"

_Did Harry really enter himself in the tournament?_ He told me he didn't…but who's to say…? But if he did, why the hell would Harry do it when he faced three competitors that had three years of magical education on him? And from the way Dumbledore talked, the tasks Harry would have to complete sounded dangerous, maybe even deadly. I know for a fact Harry had fantasized about having his name drawn and winning. He told Ron who told Hermione who told me. Why was I always the last to know?

Maybe Harry didn't enter his name…had someone do it for him? No. Harry was smarter than that. He wouldn't seriously consider doing that, would he?

Before I knew it, I was facing the Fat Lady with Ron and Hermione. Ron muttered the password darkly and sped off to his dorm without saying anything else. Hermione's worried glance doubled as she obviously felt the need to take off after him. I grabbed her arm.

"Don't," I sighed. "Let him cool off. He – Ron's just – things are gonna be…weird for them now."

"I know, I just – how did this even happen," Hermione asked. "Something is not right about all this."

"Yeah," I agreed, looking back toward the portrait hole.

"Look, I'm going up to bed. Are you coming?"

I shook my head. I wanted to stay and wait for Harry. Hermione gave me a weak smile and headed up the stairs to our dorm. I had a feeling Lavender, Parvati, and Jo were already up there, gossiping about the events that had transpired today. I sat myself down in front of the roaring fire as the remaining Gryffindor students made their way up the stairs. Fred and George, however, had other ideas. The twins seated themselves on either side of me.

"That was still brilliant," George exclaimed, continuing with a conversation he and Fred had already started.

"But how did he do it without getting a beard," Fred mused; he look half annoyed and half impressed.

"I dunno, but if it couldn't have been Angelina, at least it was Harry."

"And he'll be able to pay Diggory back for that last Quidditch game!"

"When our little champion gets in we need to give him a worthy welcoming!"

This isn't what I wanted to hear. I didn't care about how 'brilliant' it was; I didn't want to know how Harry didn't get a beard; I hardly cared if the Hogwarts champion was Angelina or Harry; I sure as hell didn't want to hear about how Harry could get back at Cedric for the last Quidditch match. That wasn't even Cedric's fault!

"Would you two just shut the hell up," the twins looked at me with unreadable expressions. I pushed myself off of the couch, standing with my back to the fireplace as I faced them and the few others in the common room. "Don't you get it? Harry was entered in this tournament whether he did it himself or not! He is underage and competing against three older, more advanced students. Do you think this funny…a joke?! No! This is life or death now. Weren't you paying attention to Dumbledore when he said how dangerous this tournament is? **He. Could. Die.** And all you can think about is how he didn't get a beard or how this is payback for a stupid Quidditch game that happened last year! Get over yourselves!"

I stared harshly at the twins in front of me. My face felt red hot and my fists were tightly clenched that my nails dug into my flesh. George had seemed to sink into the couch a little while Fred looked somewhat shock. My anger level rose as his shock turned into bemused and then he smiled his crooked smile. I huffed and began to walk away, totally intending on not speaking to either of them for a while. When Fred spoke, I wished he hadn't.

"Now, I've heard of the short tempers of the Blacks', but really Cora I think you're spending too much time with my Mum."

The next moment happened so fast I am almost ashamed (get that, almost ashamed) I did it. I wheeled around, my grey eyes on fire. Within seconds I had my shoe in hand and seconds later it was flying at a fast pace through the air. There was a loud and painful thump as the hard heel hit Fred Weasley in the back of his head.

"What the bloody hell –"

"Watch your fucking mouth, Fred Weasley! There are children around!"

I almost flattened both of the Creevey boys as I rushed up the stairs. When I reached my dorm, I flung the door open and slammed it shut, not caring that Jo was already sleeping. Each of the girls stared at me. I didn't bother with them as I pushed open my trunk with a grunt of anger.

That night I had a hard time sleeping. When Harry undoubtedly came in, the twins, Lee, and whoever else happened to be downstairs made a commotion. That pissed me off more than I already was. Did no one give a damn about Harry's life?! Honestly! Roughly yet quietly, I threw my comforter off of my body. The clock on my bedside table read 6:00am. _Great…_ I hated waking up early on Sundays. I grabbed my jeans from under my bed along with a dark red long-sleeved shirt. I slipped out of my dorm, Weasley sweater and Peter Pan in hand, careful not to wake any of my fellow fourth years.

I was surprised when I found a familiar red-head sitting on the couch in front of the fire. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the hurricane that would surely emerge if he said the wrong thing. Before I walked towards him, I took in Fred's profile. He still hadn't seen me, but I saw him as clear as day. I saw everything about him; the slope of his nose, the shape of his jaw…even the way his hair fell in his amber eyes. I wondered if he ever saw me like I saw him. I laughed at myself. Fred wouldn't ever see me as anything more than his little brother's friend.

_Still…_

"Hey…" I muttered to Fred, unsure if he wanted company as I sat next to him. Fred looked at me, smiling. On his lap was a long piece of parchment and a quill. His wand and an open book were next to him. "Homework? On a Sunday? Fred Weasley I'm surprised."

That made Fred's smile wider. Something in the pit of my stomach fluttered. "And here I thought you knew me better Cora," he laughed. "Of course it isn't homework; just something George and I are working on. Here, let me show you."

Fred grasped his wand, tapping the parchment twice. The chicken scratch that was Fred's supposed Potions homework morphed into more writing and drawings and ingredients of some sort. No doubt these were the twins' plans for more Weasley Wizard Wheezes stuff. I smiled at Fred in admiration. He was a smart cookie.

"That's cool," I praised the older twin. He beamed. I cracked open my book as Fred went back to doing whatever it was he was doing. We sat in front of the fireplace for an hour or so in complete silence. Students had begun to trickle down around 7:00 for breakfast. After a while, I realized that I had started to read the same line over and over. I closed my book and looked over at Fred, he seemed deep in thought. _Now or never._

"Fred…" I asked tentatively. When he looked up at me I knew what I had to do…no matter how hard it was. "I – I'm sorry for blowing up at you last night…"

"You had George worried there for a bit," Fred chuckled. "The Creeveys' had a bit of a shock too, I think."

"Hurricane Coralynn is crazy, huh?"

Fred laughed louder this time, "Trust me, I've seen worse. Look, it's fine. You're worried about Harry. It's only natural to be worried about those you care for."

_That was deep…_ I was quiet for a really long time after that. Did he know? Did he really _know_? No, no one really knew how I felt about Fred. I mean, I didn't even know. At that moment I just – I don't know, I just feel like I want to hold on and never let go. _Fuck you Fred Weasley. You have officially ruined me for any other man._


	14. Worst Sunday Ever

**A/N: Wow, sorry it's been so long. Been busy with school like usual…I finished this on the library computer (ick!). Be prepared, this is a filler chapter with some Ron angst and Cora's favorite person in the whole world. Virtual cookies to whoever guesses right. **

**Chapter 14: Worst Sunday Ever**

An hour later, I found myself sitting at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall with Ron. He was obviously still pissed about last night because he was stabbing at his food violently and muttering to himself. Hermione had joined us for all of five minutes before grabbing a stack of buttered toast and taking off. She gave me a look that said "I'll deal with Harry" and I knew I had to deal with Ron at some point. As I quietly ate my sugary, owl-shaped puff cereal, Ron's stabbing grew more vicious.

"Ron," I hissed, grabbing his wrist. "Stop it!"

"That lying prick," he seethed as he slammed his fork down. Our fellow housemates sent shifty glances at Ron. He was too busy glaring a hole in his plate to care.

"Ron, did you see the look on his face when his name was called? The look on Dumbledore's face?"

"He gets all the attention! Everyone just loves Harry Potter. Everyone loves the Boy Who Lived."

"A student wouldn't have been able to put another student's name in the cup. Dumbledore said so."

Ron was still staring at his plate when he muttered, "You don't get it."

"Get what? The fact that you're jealous of Harry," Ron's head finally snapped up. His eyes narrowed into menacing slits. "No, I get it. You have five brothers to compete against. You're Harry's best friend; Famous Harry Potter's best friend. Everyone sees only him when you're together. The Boy Who Lived and his sidekick, The Ginger. Sure, you have a right to be upset, you put up with all that. I don't know how you do it."

Ron's features returned to normal. He looked me in the eye, hope shining in his, "So…you're on my side? You think Harry placed his name in the cup too?"

"What," my voice rose sharply, questioning Ron. "Weren't you listening to anything I just said?!"

"Yeah, you said I shouldn't have to compete with Harry and that I have a right to be upset and seen and I put up with too much of his –"

I scoffed, pushing my bowl away from me and grabbing my bag. I swiveled around and stood, giving Ron the evil-eye the entire time. He turned to look at me questioningly. "You don't listen, that's your problem. You and Harry have to work this out. Together. I can't help you if you won't try. If you need me, I'll be outside."

Sooner than I expected, I found myself strolling across the lawn and towards the lake. I felt like every part of me was on fire as I reached my favorite tree by the shore. As I sat down, I let out the breath I forgot I was holding in. My breath was almost noticeable in the chilly morning air. I shuffled through my bag and grasped the leather binding of my sketch book. Across from me, the Durmstrang ship was anchored, making it the perfect subject for my drawing.

"May I join you," the voice of the bane of my existence asked just as I finished sketching the outline of the ship.

Not looking up, I started outlining the water on the lake. "No," I said.

"What…why," the Scottish accent with the slight lisp chuckled.

"Because you annoy me and I don't like you."

"Ouch…harsh. Okay, so I deserve that."

John Haring sat down next to me. I could feel the warmth of his body (and those toned Quidditch muscles) under his clothes and Ravenclaw cloak. I kept drawing but, to my surprise, he was silent. I don't know how long we sat in silence; me drawing and John staring at the lake. I had just finished darkening the waves on the lake when I sighed.

"What are you doing here, John?"

I didn't look at him, but I could tell he was smiling, "Well, when two people love each other –"

"Oh god, not that," I slammed down my pencil and finally looked at him. "I meant, what are you doing _here_?"

"Well, when a child of two magical parents turns eleven –"

"You are so immature," I slammed by book shut and stood up. I slung my bag over my shoulder and began to walk away.

"Wait," John said softly. Feeling something warm on in my hand, I turned. John was standing up, his fingers gently laced in my own. I looked at John quizzically. Something in the pit of my stomach churned and I yanked my hand away as if it was on fire. I cradled it close to my chest, feeling the warmth. "I wanted to apologize, for everything. I acted like an ass trying to get your attention. It only made you hate me. Can I – I mean, what I want is – can we start over?"

I felt stupid as I stared down at my feet. I mean, here was this guy who had been annoying me since I got to Hogwarts. Every chance he had to befriend me he used to piss me off. I'm half Black. And, as I'm told, we hold grudges that last a lifetime. Dumbest reason on the planet, I know. Sure, John's quips are seemingly harmless but, for some reason completely unknown to me, I couldn't let it go. Finally getting the courage, I looked at the boy who was patiently waiting for a response.

"I – I don't know," I admitted with a sad sigh. "You – I just – god, I don't know! I just can't let two years of your annoying me go. Yes, I know it's stupid and…if you really want to be my friend stop with the pickup lines and the immaturity and just –"

John crossed his arms. "I just thought you'd like it. I mean, Fred Weasley –"

"What does Fred have to do with this," I asked, exasperated.

"Well, for one, he's a jokester. I'm a jokester. He's pretty immature. Apparently I'm immature. I don't get why you like him as much as you do. Is it because he has a twin? Because I have a cousin who looks just like me."

"What," I frowned in confusion. "Who said anything about me liking him?"

"It's kinda obvious. You seriously need to work on being discrete when staring," John smiled as he leaned against the tree. "I can teach you. I've been doing it for years."

I looked at John in disbelief, "You're really proud of yourself, aren't you?"

John pushed himself off of the trunk and closed the gap between us. With his every advance, I stepped back, not liking the closeness. John took my cold hands in his surprisingly warm ones and looked at me softly. His lips twitched up slightly. "I like you, Cora. I like you a lot."

I laughed nervously. I forced myself to look anywhere but his. Suddenly, John began to lean in, closing the gap even more. I leaned further back, trying to get my hands out of his.

_DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! RUN AWAY! _

"Look, just…stop and let me think okay? I – I gotta go. Owlery," I stuttered as I finally slipped out of the Ravenclaw's grasp.

John stopped his advance, "Oh, okay, well, then let me come with you. We can get to know –"

"No," I practically shouted at the boy. "I mean, it's a private letter and it – I – I just have to go now."

I turned around and walked as fast as I could in the direction of the Owlery. I made no effort to look back as my walk turned into a jog. I had to get as far away from John as I could. _Holy shit, girl! He just tried to kiss you!_ I couldn't wrap my head around the idea that John Haring would want to kiss me. What did he think? He could kiss me and everything would change? That I would fall hopelessly in love with him? Ew! God no! I haven't kissed a boy since the incident with Harry and mistletoe (wince) and I wasn't going to waste my first given kiss to a boy like stupid, immature John Haring!

I stopped to catch my breath once I was in the corridor to the Owlery. No one was around so I didn't have to worry about curious eyes and gossip. Apparently I was the number one topis for gossip at this school. Well, not for long. Harry being chosen as the fourth Triwizard Tournament champion would now be the main gossip topic. Instead of going to the Owlery, I turned around and walked straight to the Gryffindor Tower. Worst Sunday ever.


	15. The Ferret

_**Chapter 15: The Ferret **_

The next week was pretty much torture for my friend, The Boy Who Lived. Harry had thought that everyone would be used to the idea of him as the fourth champion. NOPE! Everyone, yes even our fellow Gryffindors, had thought that Harry entered his own name in the cup. No one was impressed. In Herbology, the Hufflepuffs were cold to us. I guess since Cedric was the actual Hogwarts champion, they were rather upset. But that doesn't mean they had to ignore the entire Gryffindor House. Ron still wouldn't talk to Harry; I guess my lame speech had no effect on him. Hermione and I had to sit between the two since Ron didn't want to sit anywhere near Harry. We forced conversations upon them while working on the lessons. Not fun. Hell, even Professor Sprout seemed distant with Harry. Well, okay that one was justified since she is Head of Hufflepuff. But come on!

Care of Magical Creatures was worse, however. We had that class with the Slytherins of all people. Malfoy, being Malfoy, was an annoying little shit. He went on about how we should all get Harry's autograph while we still could. Apparently Harry was most likely going to be the first (if not the only) one to die. Oh, even better, on Monday Hagrid made us leash extremely angry and killer Blast-Ended Skrewts so we could take them on walks. Of course, Hagrid chose Harry to demonstrate how to rope them to the class. I think someone wanted him to die early. Hermione paired up with Ron so I had to rope a Skrewt with Neville. Scared shitless, we both decided that we better not try to get anywhere near the three foot long and super powerful scorpion-crab thingy. There was a loud _bang_ and Seamus and Dean's Skrewt took off, dragging Dean along behind it. It was a funny sight, trying to see him get back on his feet. Seamus shouted at him to let go and Dean's body rolled down the slope of the hill as he let go of the rope. I winced, felling sympathy pain in my arms. Oh, Mondays…

When classes were over on Friday I found myself walking with Harry and Neville to the castle. Ron had stormed off with a sorry-looking Hermione in tow. Neville wanted to search for something down by the lake, so Harry and I tagged along. The three of us settled down by the big oak tree. Neville dropped his things and headed for the water while Harry and I rested under the shady tree. As I pulled things out of my bag, a copy of The Daily Prophet fell into the grass. On the front page was the absurd article about Harry written by Rita Skeeter.

Harry picked it up, scowling, "You read this rubbish?!"

"Oh, c'mon Harry. You think I believe that woman? For one thing, you aren't 12 and I don't see the ghosts of your past swimming in your eyes."

Harry crumpled up the newspaper and shoved it back in my bag. He stared out towards the Durmstrang ship, lost in thought. As we sat somewhere between an awkward and comfortable silence, Neville's excited voice broke the void. Despite knowing I shouldn't have said anything; I decided to ask Harry if he had heard from my dad. My friend sighed. Dad had, like everybody else, asked Harry if he had really put his name in the cup. Harry then explained about the dream he had had with Voldemort, Wormtail, and the unknown man. Again, Neville's voice rang out with excitement. Harry continued saying that what it really came down to was that Hogwarts isn't safe anymore, spies were all around. Whoever put Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire was not a friend. Ron interrupted the conversation before Harry could hear more. But my dad did get in one last thing, "keep your friends close".

We fell into silence again. Harry mulled over Neville's things as he left me to think about what my dad had told him. It was obvious that safety at Hogwarts was becoming less and less since the Chamber of Secrets opened. Spies? Wasn't all of Slytherin house condemned as spies? I bet they were all divulging secrets to their Death Eater parents whenever they got the chance. What bothered me the most was the thing about keeping your friends close. Harry had lost the entire school and Ron too. Some friends…

"Amazing! Amazing," Neville exclaimed for the thousandth time.

"Neville, you're doing it again," Harry told the clumsy boy, clearly annoyed. He looked up at us and sheepishly apologized. Harry closed the book that was resting in his lap. "Magical Water Plants of the Highland Lochs?"

"Moody gave it to me," Neville explained as he dug back into the muddy water. "The day we had tea."

Neville suddenly stood up and waved, getting mud all over his uniform. When I turned around I saw Hermione walking towards us, arm-in-arm with Ginny. A sulky-looking Ron followed a bit behind. Before the girls walked over to us, Hermione stopped and turned back to Ron. The two argued about something for a second before Hermione turned back to us, an annoyed expression crossed her face.

"Ronald would like me to tell you that Seamus told him that Dean was told by Parvati that Hagrid was looking for you."

"Is that so? Well…" Harry looked up at Hermione in confusion. "What?"

Hermione bit her lip and went back to Ron. I watched in amusement as Ron whispered something to her and gave her a light shove forward. "Dean was told by Parvati that…oh please don't make me say it again. Hagrid's looking for you."

"Well you can tell Ronald that…"

"I'm not an owl," Hermione spun back around, dragging Ginny and Ron with her.

The moment the three were out of sight, Harry stood up. He brushed himself off and grabbed his bag. "I'm done with this," he muttered darkly.

"Harry! Wait," I jumped up and followed him.

My friend, having longer legs than me, made it all the way to the courtyard before I could even catch up with him. As I looked around I noticed that almost every Hogwarts student was wearing a bright yellow badge with Cedric's face on it. They then spun green with the words "Potter Stinks" appearing. I tried dodging the students as Harry weaved his way through, getting insults thrown at him a mile a minute. I finally caught Harry when a Hufflepuff blocked an archway. They laughed as he pushed his way through.

I took ahold of Harry's cloak to stop him. I was breathing hard when he swung around. "Don't run off like that," I scolded him.

"And why shouldn't I? Look around Cora. Everyone is against me. Ron managed to turn my whole dorm, Hermione and Ginny included, against me. It's just a matter of time before you will join them. Just leave me alone!"

Harry began to walk off again. I grabbed his arm, digging my nails into his cloth covered skin, "No! No way! Don't you dare start talking shit like that. I am your friend, Harry. I'm not an idiot, okay? I believe you. I support you. Fuck those badges and fuck those assholes who think they know better! I –"

I never got to finish my little speech. Harry began seething as he walked away from me. I began to protest until I saw what made Harry leave me. Ron was walking through the courtyard with Seamus, heading in the same direction Harry and I were standing in.

"You're a right foul git, you know that," Harry called out to Ron. _Shit._ I came up behind the dark haired boy, ready to stop a fight if it came down to one.

The two duked it out like little boys. They went through the whole "You're stupid", "Yeah?", "Yeah!", "Really?", "Yeah!" fight. It ended with Harry blowing off Ron's friendship and Ron being weirdly okay with that. I shook my head in disgust. _Boys._ As Ron and Seamus moved away, I placed a reassuring hand on Harry's shoulder. That's when a voice called out from above us.

"Why so tense, Potter," harry and I looked up simultaneously. Oh, great… Draco was lounging about, his dumb-as-doorknob cronies gathered around the trunk of the tree. "My father and I have a bet you see. I don't think you're gonna last ten minutes in this tournament. He disagrees. He thinks you won't last five."

Harry sped towards the Slytherins as they all laughed. I followed Harry dutifully. If someone was gonna give Draco a piece of their mind it would be me or Harry. "I don't give a damn what you or your father thinks, Malfoy," Harry bit back.

This wasn't worth our time. Draco was just trying to get a rise out of Harry. "Come on," I whispered to Harry, pulling him around. "Forget them."

Harry kept going, however, "He's vile and cruel, and you're just pathetic."

I finally got my friend to walk away. "How dare you," Draco shouted, making people stop and stare.

"THEN KEEP YOUR FAT-ASS MOUTH SHUT," I yelled back at my cousin.

There were several gasps of shock as something white-hot shot between me and Harry's heads. I made a grab for my wand, but before I could cast a counter-spell someone had shouted at Draco, getting his attention. Professor Moody had hit Draco with a spell, turning him into a brilliant white ferret right before our eyes. The little ferret which was Draco Malfoy was shivering on the stone. Laughter rang out around the courtyard as Looky-Lous' came to witness the hilarity. Moody cast the hover charm and floated Draco around.

"That'll teach you to cast when someone's back is turned."

The ferret flew through the air, its legs and tail twitching helplessly. "Professor Moody! What are you doing," McGonagall's shocked voice rose above the laughing.

"Teaching," was all Moody had to say. The ferret bounced higher.

"Is that a student?!"

"Technically it's a ferret."

Crabbe had been reaching for Draco the entire time the two adults were conversing. I cleared my throat a bit. When Moody looked at me I motioned towards the fat tub of lard. With a flick of his wrist, Moody made the ferret shoot down Crabbe's pants. The boy squirmed, shouting and patting his bottom half as the ferret was tossed around down there. I don't believe I have ever laughed so much in my life. McGonagall pulled out her wand and with a snap the ferret was out of Crabbe's pants and turned back into Draco.

Draco was on his hands and knees with all the students laughing above him still. His bright eyes shone with pain and humiliation. Now, it's usually in my nature to feel sorry for those in bad situations, but this was an exception. I smiled widely as Draco threatened to tell his father about what had just happened. Draco ran off as Moody shouted back at him things he could tell the boy about his father.

"Moody, we never use Transfiguration as a punishment," the older woman scolded. "Surely Dumbledore told you that?"

When Moody shrugged, McGonagall told him to remember to give detentions instead of changing students into animals. I don't know about anyone else, but I think the animal punishment is more fun. As the crowd dispersed, Harry followed Moody away without telling me. I was left alone once again.


	16. The First Task aka Dragons

**A/N: Well…it has certainly been a long time…hasn't it? Here's the long awaited First Task.**

_**Chapter 16: The First Task aka Dragons **_

Did you know that when you are really dreading something, time has the strange habit of speeding up? The days had passed all too fast and it was time for the first task. Dragons. It just had to be dragons. And Harry just _had_ to let Cedric know. Yeah, I know it was the right thing to do, both being the Hogwarts champion and all. But maybe that slight advantage could have helped my friend. Hermione and I had helped him practice the Summoning Charm for hours. If there was one thing that was going to help Harry in this task, it was apparently gonna be a simple charm.

When Harry was escorted from the Great Hall that morning, Hermione, Ginny, and I wished him luck. I swear I heard him mutter under his breath that all the luck in the world wouldn't help him. It annoyed me that people openly stared as Harry left with Professor McGonagall. They didn't watch as Viktor or Fleur or Cedric left. Deep down, I knew it was because they were waiting to see what Harry was going to do. Most of them him to fail.

When the time came to head to the stadium, I began to feel more nervous. I walked in between Hermione and Ginny as we followed the hundreds upon hundreds of people down the path. All around us, people were talking excitedly and joking around. The three of us were silent, however, as we passed the Champions' tent and into the stadium. Ginny and I started climbing some stairs when Hermione called out to us. She said she had to do something and just left. The youngest Weasley pulled me down an aisle as I shouted back that we'd save her a seat. Behind us, Fred and George were shouting and taking bets on the task.

"Don't you have something better to do," I whirled around, shouting at the two.

Fred looked at me with his amused grin as his twin kept shouting bet offers. Two Hufflepuff boys approached George and placed bets that Cedric would win first place. They sneered at us as they walked away. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Whatever makes a profit, dearest Coralynn," George smiled as he pocketed the coins. Before I could do some serious damage, Hermione took the seat next to me; her face looked flush and full of worry.

"I just saw Harry," she whispered to me.

"Oh my god," I gasped. "How is he? What's going on? Did you hear anything?"

My mind was running wild with questions. Hermione cut my thinking off, "I told him to concentrate and to –."

"Yeah like that's really gonna help him battle a dragon!"

"Well if you'd let me finish," she huffed. I motioned for her to continue. "Well I hugged him and then there was this flash. That awful Skeeter woman saw the whole thing! The even had the audacity to think – well she thought –"

"Out with it, Hermione!"

"She thought we were in love," I had never seen Hermione's face so red before. She looked like a tomato. I was about to comment but she continued quickly. "Viktor told her off. He said the tent was for champions and friends."

"Damn…so if Rita Skeeter took your picture then that means you'll be on the front page of the Prophet! I don't know whether to be jealous or concerned."

Hermione shot me an exasperated look. I knew she was going to tell me off but the sound of cannon fire stopped her from doing so. The stadium roared to life. I strained my eyes as the tent flap opened. Cedric emerged, wand in hand. The cheer for the eldest Hogwarts champion was deafening. He stood still as he looked into the crowd and then at the golden egg-shaped prize in the middle of the enclosure. A thunderous roar silenced everyone. We all watched in anticipation as a Swedish Short-Snout dragon popped out of nowhere. Cedric sprang into action. I screamed and gasped along with the crowd as he dodged the creature, just missing its blue flames. He transfigured a rock into a dog, catching the dragon's attention. I didn't realize I was holding my breath until Cedric grabbed the egg, holding it high in the air.

I cheered with the rest of the crowd as the dragon was corralled and Cedric's score was given. A Welsh Green dragon was brought out to the ground. When the cannon went off again, Fleur came out of the tent. She looked determined but it was obvious she was shaking from nerves. The French girl didn't spring into action like Cedric. She walked into the enclosure tentatively. That's when the dragon let out a fiery jet out of its mouth. She was nearly singed as she rolled out of the way. Whatever spell she cast at the dragon didn't seem to work. Instead, the dragon swiped at her with its tail. The next spell she cast hit the dragon directly. It fell to the ground with a loud _thud_ and began snoring. Fleur bolted to the egg in case the dragon woke up. I clapped in respect as the rest of the crowd (mostly the Beauxbaton group) cheered. She had beaten Cedric's time…but that's didn't mean she beat his tactics.

The cannon went off again. Viktor pushed the flap away, staring into the enclosure at the egg. A red and gold blur swiped at the Bulgarian, not wasting time in attacking. This time, instead of me standing and shouting, Hermione jumped to her feet. She screamed at the guy as he tumbled down the rocks below. He looked pissed as he dashed behind a rock, escaping the Chinese Fireball's golden spiked tail. Viktor shouted and his wand shot a pinkish jet at the dragon's face. It emitted a terrible roaring shriek as its eyes swelled, blinding it. Hermione gripped my wrist as the dragon stepped back, crushing some of the eggs it was protecting. Viktor ran through the dragon's legs and dove for the golden egg. There was a roar of applause for the pro Quidditch player.

Then came the moment I was dreading. It was Harry's turn. The cannon went off and Hermione, Ginny, the twins, and I cheered his name. The stadium cheered too. I didn't know if they were cheering for Harry or the dragon, but either way there was a lot of noise for the youngest champion. The golden egg sat in the middle of a small plateau unguarded. Harry made a run for it. The dragon, a Hungarian Horntail, suddenly popped up behind the rocks. Harry jumped behind a rock as it blast flames at him.

"You're wand, Harry," Hermione shouted as she banged on the railing in front of us. "Your wand!"

The dragon was crouching over the egg, daring Harry to come closer. From behind the rock I could see the tip of Harry's wand. I wasn't able to hear him over the sound of the noise but I was sure that Harry had summoned his broom. Then, out of nowhere, the Firebolt soared to Harry. Hermione and I shouted in delight as out friend jumped on and flew off.

"It's another match, Harry," I whispered. "Pretend it's another Quidditch match."

The dragon followed Harry, breathing fire all over the place. Harry kept circling the dragon, trying to make it dizzy. The Horntail was stretched to the chain's limit. With a terrible roar, it yanked itself up, pulling the chain right out of the ground. Screams of terror broke through the stunned silence as the dragon beat its large wings. My shouts of terror mixed with Hermione and Ginny's as Harry took off, leading the dragon away from the stadium. Before doing so, however, the dragon flew right up to where a bunch of non-students were seated. The dragon's tail smashed into the seats, sending debris and unlucky people flying.

I felt the blood drain from my face as the two dots disappeared towards the castle. _He could be killed!_ I tried not to think of the terrible things the dragon could do to my friend. Behind me, Fred and George were whispering about what to do with the money if Harry was incinerated. I turned around and hit Fred in the gut.

"You jerk! Why!? Why the hell would you even –"

"LOOK!"

My head spun back around so fast I almost gave myself whiplash. In the distance, something was flying toward the stadium. Harry was bobbing up and down in his broom, leaving a trail of smoke. The arena burst into cheers as Harry flew over the stands. Hermione and I threw ourselves into the others arms, hugging the crap out of each other. Harry dove for the egg, snatching it up and raising it high. The noise was enough to make the deaf hear.

Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Moody rushed down to my friend. Harry had gotten passed the first task alive but not without scratches. The stadium buzzed with excitement; we all wanted to see his scores. It was out of ten from each judge. From down below, Madame Maxime raised her wand and a silvery eight sot out of the tip. Crouch gave Harry a nine. I cheered harder as a silver nine appeared out of Dumbledore's wand. Ludo Bagman, the commentator, gave a ten while Karkaroff gave a four. I swear I heard Ron's voice of protest somewhere. It wasn't just Gryffindor and Harry supporters now. Everyone was standing for Harry. I stared down at my friend as the final tally was given. Fleur came in third, Cedric second, and Harry and Viktor were tied for first. Before being led away, Harry seemed to be looking around the arena, trying to find someone. That's when he caught my gaze. I smiled widely, tears threatening to fall. I nodded my approval to Harry. He seemed to catch my dying anxiety as he nodded back with a lopsided grin. Harry would get through this. I knew it in my heart.


End file.
